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2016 HONORS CONVOCATION THESIS ABSTRACTS Contents AUTHOR: ALEXANDER AUDET ................................................................................................................... 3

AUTHOR: KAYLA BENEDETTO .................................................................................................................... 3

AUTHOR: BENJAMIN BROWN ............................................................................................................... 4

AUTHOR: KATE DEMARTINO ................................................................................................................. 5

AUTHOR: AMANDA DESCHENES ........................................................................................................... 6

AUTHOR: CODY EDSON ............................................................................................................................ 7

AUTHOR: ASHLEY EWERT .......................................................................................................................... 8

AUTHOR: NATHALIE FRANCOIS ................................................................................................................. 8

AUTHOR: CATHERINE GINGRAS ................................................................................................................ 9

AUTHOR: CAITLIN HANSEN .................................................................................................................... 10

AUTHOR: MITCH HONAN ....................................................................................................................... 11

AUTHOR: ALEXANDRA KRAUTH .......................................................................................................... 12

AUTHOR: LEAH KUHNEN ........................................................................................................................ 12

AUTHOR: JASPER GERONIMO C. LARIOZA .......................................................................................... 13

AUTHOR: MICHELLE MARTINO ........................................................................................................... 13

AUTHOR: RENEE LEBLANC ................................................................................................................... 14

AUTHOR: AMANDA M. MASSA .......................................................................................................... 15

AUTHOR: MEGAN A. MONTANARO ........................................................................................................ 16

AUTHOR: JILLIAN NEWTON ................................................................................................................. 16

AUTHOR: RYAN ORLOWSKI ..................................................................................................................... 17

AUTHOR: NICHOLAS PLESCIA .................................................................................................................. 18

AUTHOR: ARDEN RAND ...................................................................................................................... 19

AUTHOR: DAVID REISS ........................................................................................................................ 19

AUTHOR: CLARISA RODRIGUES ............................................................................................................. 20

AUTHOR: LAURA SALVATORE ............................................................................................................. 21

AUTHOR: ELIZABETH SANTULLI .............................................................................................................. 21

AUTHOR: SAMANTHA SCHWIND ........................................................................................................ 22

AUTHOR: CAITLIN SCHWIND ............................................................................................................... 22

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AUTHOR: TROY SUNDWALL ................................................................................................................ 23

AUTHOR: GRACE VIOLA ...................................................................................................................... 24

AUTHOR: MONICA ZIELINSKI .................................................................................................................. 24

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AUTHOR: ALEXANDER AUDET TITLE: GROWING AND LEARNING: INCORPORATING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

LEARNING (SEL) INTO HIGH SCHOOL MATH LESSONS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Carlos Torre

Department: Mathematics

Year: 2016

This study examines the implementation of lesson plan framework that assists teachers in

incorporating social and emotional learning into high school math lessons. Supported by an

extensive literature review, the lesson plan framework is designed to guide teachers to help

students develop a positive, habitual reaction to failure; such a habitual reaction enables

students to repeatedly engaged factors to strengthen their social-emotional capacities, thereby

increasing their academic achievement. A teacher from the Hyde School of Health Sciences and

Sports Medicine (referred to as Hyde) and another from the Engineering and Science University

Magnet School (ESUMs) surveyed their algebra 1 courses (respectively, n= 10; n=17). Hyde

implemented the framework for a lesson while ESUMs was the control group. Paired sample T-

tests will explore how the use of the framework impacted the social-emotional capacities of

students in comparison to the control group. Due to time constraints by the approval process

for surveys in public schools, the data analyzation is still in progress. It will be completed by

May 2nd. If you are interested in the results, please email audeta2@southernct.edu.

AUTHOR: KAYLA BENEDETTO TITLE: ACCEPTANCE, COMFORT LEVELS AND WILLINGNESS OF COLLEGE

STUDENTS WHEN INTERACTING WITH PEERS WITH HIGH

FUNCTIONING AUTISM OR SOCIAL PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE

CHALLENGES

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Barbara Cook

Department: Department of Communication Disorders

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Year: 2016

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) currently affects 1 in 68 children (CDC, 2015). Individuals diagnosed

with ASD exhibit significant delays in their social interaction and social reciprocity skills thus

demonstrating evidence of delays in social communication, specifically with pragmatic language.

Regardless of these delays, not all individuals with ASD exhibit an impairment in cognition, which results

in successful completion of high school, and many go on to attend postsecondary education institutions.

Recent data shows that approximately 35% of adolescents with ASD attend college (Shattuck, et al.,

2012). However, a significant number struggle to complete their program or to acquire and sustain

employment (Shattuck, 2012). The purpose of this research was to assess how comfortable ‘typically

developing’ peers are in communicating and interacting with their peers with characteristics of ASD,

specifically the social communication challenges frequently observed. A secondary incidental outcome

may have been to bring awareness to the ‘typically developing’ peers of those students with high

functioning ASD. Analysis of the results obtained from completion of an online survey by participants

suggest that a majority of participants would have strong comfort levels and willingness to support

individuals with ASD. Although there are perceived differences amongst demographic groups and their

willingness to interact with peers with ASD, there were no statistically significant correlations in this

study. It is noted that previous researchers did determine significant differences within age, gender, class

standing, college major, diagnosis, and familial relationships to an individual with ASD as it related to

individuals’ awareness and comfort toward individuals with ASD. An additional aim was to determine

whether perceptions would be different between a setting with a program designed to support individuals

with ASD and settings without such a program. Due to limited participation from the second university,

an analysis of the impact of existing programs to support individuals with ASD on the perceptions of

typically developing students was inconclusive.

AUTHOR: BENJAMIN BROWN

TITLE: 21ST CENTURY MAN

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dana Sonnenschein

Department: Department of English

Year: 2016

This thesis consists of autobiographical writing focused on issues embedded in my past

experiences. It involves reflective narration about how pivotal moments shaped my

understanding of injustice. The larger purpose of my thesis is to offer my experiences and

thoughts as models for other, similar young men. The social issues or concepts I address are

masculinity, rape culture, voice and space, and the fostering of healthy communities.

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Through the mode of memoir, I explore and review my experiences in the hope that my

target audience – primarily males who identify as non-feminist – will be able to follow similar

trends of logical and moral evolution and eventually become what I consider myself today: a

true, 21st century man. I see the course of my development into and through feminism as moving

away from a point of traditional, third-wave feminism towards what I now identify as a more

humanist mindset

No one’s memories are absolutely complete, and mine are no exception. Some of the

details included in my final project are reconstructed because they highlight certain themes of

experience under patriarchy and enable readers to imagine themselves in my place, the same way

detail functions in fiction. The manuscript is intended to be simultaneously pedagogical,

informative, inspirational, and relatable.

AUTHOR: KATE DEMARTINO TITLE: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EARLY INTERVENTIONS ON SPEECH

COMPREHENSION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Julia Irwin

Department: Psychology

Year: 2016

This literature review is a compilation of early interventions on children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

(ASD) and their effects in speech comprehension. Children with ASD have difficulty processing speech

in quiet and noisy environments (Russo, Zecker, Trommer, Chen, & Kraus, 2009). Their language skills

do not meet the same levels as their typically developing peers (Russo, Zecker, Trommer, Chen, & Kraus,

2009. Since language in context has an audio and visual component, researchers have focused on the

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visual aspect of language in order to enhance a child’s ability to process language (McGurk, &

MacDonald, 1976; van Wassenhove et al. 2005; Sumby & Pollack, 1954 ) Therefore, early interventions

have been implemented using visual enhancements to ensure level of achievement in children with ASD

in hopes of aiding in their ability to lead independent lives (Wagner, Hirsch, Vogel-Farley, Redcay, &

Nelson, 2012; Irwin, & Brancazio, 2014). The studies included in this paper show that using visual

enhancements such as technology, object play, and intentional focal points have increased efficacy in

speech comprehension in children with Autism. The focus of this paper is to show the importance of early

interventions, the use of technology, the feasibility of use, and the intentional focus of contextual cues

through eye-tracking are necessary to improve speech comprehension in children with Autism.

AUTHOR: AMANDA DESCHENES TITLE: ARTIST’S FOOTPRINTS: THE CONCEQUENTIAL LACK OF APPRECIATION AND

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE ARTS ON THE CAMPUS OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE

UNIVERSITY IN 2015

Thesis Advisor: Kelly Carrington

Department: Department of Art

Year: 2016

This creative thesis evaluated the emotional climate from the author’s perspective as an arts student on

Southern Connecticut State University’s campus. The project was a graphically designed book hand

printed and bound, featuring transparent sheets of acetate meant to engage the reader. The sheets

featured text or images that overlaid surfaces photographed inside Earl Hall. Through this format, the

reader was forced to examine the transparent image and then reflect on the abstract surface

photograph below it, causing them to consider the absence of what was pictured on the previous sheet.

The content spoke on the history of Earl Hall, the lack of upkeep of the building’s facilities, the lack of

professional hiring occurring in the department and the repercussions of ignoring the artists on campus.

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This conveyed the feelings of neglect and isolation felt by fine arts students while also calling the

administration to action. The project also informed other students on campus about the state of Earl

Hall if they were previously unaware of such occurrences.

AUTHOR: CODY EDSON TITLE: DETERMINATION OF ARSENIC CONCENTRATION USING

SILVER NITRATE IN COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE FIELD

TEST KITS WITH DIGITAL IMAGE ANALYSIS

Thesis Advisors: Dr. James Kearns & Dr. Vincent Breslin

Department: Chemistry

Year: 2016

Arsenic is a natural occurring, carcinogenic metalloid found within the Earth’s crust. As a

result of its natural abundance, as well as its geochemistry, many sources of groundwater are

contaminated with varying concentrations of arsenic. Current field tests are able to test for

concentrations of arsenic above 20 ppb (parts per billion) by reacting arsine gas (formed through

a reaction with sulfamic acid and zinc) with mercuric bromide to form a discoloration on a test

strip. The intensity of the discoloration is directly related to the concentration of arsenic within

the sample, and therefore can be compared to a color scale provided with the kit. These test have

shown to be effective at measuring concentrations ≥ 20 ppb; however, the World Health

Organization’s global standard for arsenic in groundwater is 10 ppb. Therefore, these tests are

ineffective at quantifying the allowed limit of arsenic. A method was created using 0.4% (m/v)

silver nitrate dissolved in 1.0 % concentrated nitric acid and water solution, which replaced

mercuric bromide, to create a discoloration on the test strip. The discoloration was then scanned

to a computer, and the blue color intensity values were measured using the program Analyzing

Digital Images. It is known that the concentration of arsenic is inversely related to the intensity

of blue color. Finally, using 95% confidence, concentrations of 0, 5, and 10 ppb were shown to

be statistically different. This data supports that silver nitrate is capable of determining

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concentrations at the 95% confidence level, below 10 ppb, which is important in order to

determine the safety of drinking water in areas with abundant amounts arsenic.

AUTHOR: ASHLEY EWERT TITLE: AN EXAMINATION OF MANIPULATIVE USE IN

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Adam Goldberg

Department: Department of Education

Year: 2015

Since ancient times, manipulatives, which are physical objects used to solve mathematical

concepts, have been used in mathematics. Today these learning tools are found in most classrooms to

provide students a hands-on approach to learning abstract concepts. Manipulatives are often concrete;

however, with recent technological advancements, many manipulatives have been created virtually as

well. In this study, an examination of manipulative use in the elementary school classrooms was

conducted to survey the types of manipulatives that are being used. Additionally, the frequency of use, as

well as to assess overall teacher, and student attitudes towards manipulative use were also examined.

Results showed that manipulatives are a beneficial learning tool to use in the classroom, and that most

teachers used manipulatives at least 3-4 times a week when teaching mathematics. It can also be

suggested that students benefit from using both concrete and virtual manipulatives in mathematics

instruction. It was found that teachers in grades K-3 were more inclined to use manipulatives in their

mathematics instruction; however, though the types of manipulatives used varied, manipulative use to

some extent could still be seen through grade 6. Overall, teachers felt their students had positive attitudes

towards manipulative use and they felt that they provided students with a hands-on approach to learning

mathematical concepts.

Keywords: manipulatives, concrete, virtual, abstract, mathematics, hands-on learning tools

AUTHOR: NATHALIE FRANCOIS TITLE: “MODIFIED: A NOVEL”

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Thesis Advisor: Tim Parrish

Department: English

This Creative Thesis is a coming-of-age Young Adult Fiction narrative that explores the lives of two

teenagers born into the same world, but facing very different life issues.

Flora, a protagonist and first person narrator of the piece, is a fifteen year-old girl who comes from a

well-off family. Her father is a lawyer and her mother is a stay at home mom. Flora has an older brother

that she often bickers with and a best friend who seems to care more about a pair of mischievous twin

boys than she does Flora.

OP4638, the second protagonist, is a modified human being with incredible speed and strength.

He thinks he might be either sixteen or seventeen, but he doesn’t really know. He lives in a dusty shed

and wears a muzzle most of the time. He has a mute brother who’s about seven or eight who also wears

a muzzle most of the time and spends his days tied to a big oak tree in the middle of his owner’s yard.

OP4638 has been trained to be a soldier in the country’s army since the age of about five, but instead of

joining the army, he chooses instead to be serviced out to the public in order to give his disabled brother

a chance at a happy life

Through the use of multiple points of views, the stories of a sixteen year-old girl and a maybe

seventeen year-old modified human boy collide as the two teens come to realize the good, the bad and

the extremely ugly of the world they live in.

AUTHOR: CATHERINE GINGRAS TITLE: THE INFLUENCE OF EXPOSURE TO MINORITY GROUPS: LGBT ACCEPTANCE

AND TOLERANCE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

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Thesis Advisor: Dr. Patricia Kahlbaugh

Department: Department of Psychology and Honors College

Year: 2016

This study investigated college student’s implicit and explicit attitudes about homosexuality, the effect

of persuasive messages on attitudes, and the effect of religious participation on explicit attitudes about

homosexuality. Students (n=48) participated in the study by reading vignettes that portrayed either a

positive or negative “coming-out” narrative, completed implicit (IAT) and explicit (HATH) measures of

prejudice, and reported their level of religious participation through a demographic questionnaire.

Results indicated that overall exposure (whether positive or negative) reduced the discrepancy between

the implicit and explicit scores. Those who did not receive any exposure element had a much greater

discrepancy between scores. Results also indicated that religious participation was associated with

higher levels of explicit prejudice. Further research is needed to gain a more comprehensive

understanding as to how to eliminate or minimize discrepancy between implicit and explicit attitudes.

AUTHOR: CAITLIN HANSEN

TITLE: A BIG DATA CASE STUDY: NANOPARTICLE SIZE

DISTRIBUTION STATISTICS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Christine Broadbridge

Department: Department of Physics and Honors College

Year: 2016

Big data is an evolving term used to describe the large influx of the volume and variety of data available.

The increase of information by big data sets has the potential to revolutionize both industry and academia

through increased computational capacity and accuracy. However, effective analysis of big data sets

requires the development of new modern techniques. Specifically, the pharmaceutical industry has

substantial interest in utilizing the power of big data to more efficiently make new drugs available. This

study was a general statistical analysis of big data using pharmaceutical nanoparticle size measurements as

a model system. As size is reduced from bulk to the nanoscale, the properties of materials change, making

accurate particle size distributions a fundamental part of producing pharmaceutical nanoparticles. This

study assessed the bioequivalence of nanoparticles synthesized by two different methods. Morphology

measurements were made on transmission electron microscope (TEM) images with the software ImageJ

using ellipses as representative particle shapes. Particle size distributions (n = 120) were determined for

four separate batches of nanoparticles for each of the two synthesis methods. There was a statistically

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insignificant variation between the two synthesis methods as determined by a nested analysis of variance

(ANOVA) using the major axis parameter data (F = 0.75, p = 0.38) and statistically significant variation

among nanoparticle batches within synthesis method (F= 22.94, p =<2x10-16). Consistent variation found

in both synthesis methods suggests that the method of data acquisition is introducing error to the particle

size measurements and causing the variability across batches.

AUTHOR: MITCH HONAN TITLE: MEXICO AND PEMEX: TESTING FOR DUTCH DISEASE

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Samuel Andoh

Department: Economics and Finance

Year: 2016

For more than seventy-five years, Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, was Mexico’s state oil company,

generating a significant percentage of the government’s revenue. Regulatory changes have opened up

Mexico’s oil fields for foreign development and will likely cause increased oil production. Given all of

these conditions, there is a potential concern that the country has been subject to a phenomenon

known in the economics literature as “Dutch disease.” Dutch disease occurs in a situation where

increased revenue from the exports of a natural resource, such as oil, negatively impacts a nation’s

domestic economy and limits growth potential. A model developed by Adebisi Edun to test for the

presence of Dutch disease was used for the period of high oil prices between 2006 and 2013. The

increase in oil price was expected to be the variable causing Dutch disease. The models demonstrate

that Dutch disease was not present in the Mexican economy during the period 1993-2015. As oil output

increases, policymakers should not consider Dutch disease a systemic threat to economic growth.

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AUTHOR: ALEXANDRA KRAUTH TITLE: TO STALK OR NOT TO STALK: THE ACCEPTABILITY OF STALKING

BEHAVIORS Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jessica Suckle-Nelson Department: Psychology Year: 2016 This study examined how stalking behaviors are perceived when applied to celebrities versus

non-celebrities. One of the most pressing issues with identification and understanding of

stalking when the victim is a celebrity is the fact that in most cases, the following, harassing or

threatening of celebrities is frequently seen as a normal part of celebrity life from both a social

and legal standpoint (Roberts, 2007). Participants completed an amended version of the Fan

Activity Scale (FAS; Spitzberg & Cupach, 2008), which evaluated the acceptability of fan-

approaching-celebrity behaviors. The behaviors outlined on this scale are all examples of

stalking and stalking-like behaviors. The research on this topic is relatively limited, particularly

with reference to celebrities. However, it is expected that the acceptability of stalking behaviors

when directed at a celebrity will be higher (i.e., more acceptable) than when directed at a friend

(i.e., less acceptable).

AUTHOR: LEAH KUHNEN

TITLE: RAW MATERIAL SELECTIVITY AND THE WORLD’S OLDEST

STONE TOOLS: EXPERIMENTS IN DURABILITY AND FUNCTION

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Michael Rogers

Department: Anthropology

Year: 2016

This research project focuses on the earliest undisputed stone tools and their implications

for raw material selectivity, specifically represented by three archaeological sites at Gona,

Ethiopia, dated between 2.7 and 2.5 million years ago. Previous research has suggested that the

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earliest stone tool makers at this time selected specific kinds of stone based on their

“flakeability,” though others have suggested that “durability” was also likely a consideration for

selecting certain types of stone. Experiments were conducted to test systematically the durability

of various raw material types used for Oldowan lithics at the Gona sites. Technologically

relevant features of variation and properties of the raw material types were recorded for each

sample before durability tests were carried out with cutting wood and meat, two likely functions

of the earliest tools. The results demonstrate that groundmass texture may play a role in the

durability of a stone tool, as well as other factors such as the angle of the experimental edge and

weight/size of the sample. The final product of this study is an analysis of raw material

availability, quality and durability relative to the oldest acknowledged artifacts. This

investigation will contribute to a body of research that works towards a cohesive understanding

of tool use, behavior, and adaptions of our ancestors at this critical time period on the threshold

of human technology around 2.6 million years ago. Overall, it will help students, scholars, and

researchers to better comprehend the earliest human culture and its context in human evolution.

AUTHOR: JASPER GERONIMO C. LARIOZA TITLE: CATUABA EXTRACT (ERYTHROXYLUM CATUABA) AS A CANCER

PREVENTION TREATMENT

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sarah Crawford

Department: Department of Biology

Year: 2016

The purpose of this proposed research study is to test the preclinical effects of

Erythoxylum catuaba on a human breast cancer cell line that is estrogen/progesterone responsive.

The clinical profile suggest that tumor growth is at least in part driven by estrogen/progesterone

sensitivity. The study will test whether this plant extract will inhibit or antagonize tumor

sensitivity to these steroid hormones. This breast tumor cell line has been genetically engineered

with a luciferase reporter gene that provides a fluorescent signal response to estrogen. Therefore,

it will be possible to determine directly the effects of this plant extract based on fluorescence

assessment by confocal microscopy. Once the study has identified that the clinical profile of

Erythoxylum catuaba inhibits or antagonizes tumor sensitivity on the human breast cancer cell

line, then it can be expected that Erythoxylum catuaba can possibly be used for further research

in creating treatments for human breast cancer.

AUTHOR: MICHELLE MARTINO TITLE: THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY: THEMATIC ISSUES IN MODERN LATIN

AMERICAN SHORT STORIES

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Thesis Advisor: Dr. Rubén Pelayo

Department: Department of World Languages and Literatures and Honors College

Year: 2015

This thesis examines four short stories, or cuentos¸ of Latin American authors during three distinct

literary movements, the pre-Boom, Boom, and post-Boom, for the treatment of women in patriarchal

society. Spanning from the 1930s to the 1980s, these stories, authored by María Luisa Bombal, Julio

Cortázar, Gabriel García Márquez, and Elena Poniatowska, all imply the same concept: women were

seen as subservient and unfit for powerful roles. In El árbol (“The Tree”) by Bombal and Cine Prado by

Poniatowska, women are objectified through men’s expectations. Cortázar’s Circe and García Márquez’s

El verano feliz de la Sra. Forbes (“The Happy Summer of Mrs. Forbes”) exemplify manipulative and

controlling women, who, in the end, are suppressed by men. The authors leave the stories open-ended

to provoke thought regarding the thematic issues and possible solutions to the patriarchy. The

intentional ambiguity and irony highlight the social issues of modern Latin America, such as the human

condition in a male-oriented world.

ABSTRACT

AUTHOR: RENEE LEBLANC TITLE: ROMANTICIZING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Andrew Smyth

Department: English Department and Honors College

Year: 2016

Adolescents are at a very vulnerable stage in life. At this age, they are going through tremendous

changes---physically, mentally, socially—often leaving them confused and looking for answers. Many

young adults use novels as an outlet and as a source for knowledge, especially regarding a topic that is

embarrassing for them to discuss with others, such as romantic relationships. Since most of them are

not very experienced with romantic relationships, they’re going to be using the relationships depicted in

their novels as models for what such a relationship should be. Although they are bombarded with

endless sources of media that could influence them, books still stand out as being revered for

educational value. If these novels are depicting and romanticizing abusive relationships, adolescent

readers, encouraged by parents, teachers, and friends to view books as positive forces for

enlightenment, could be interpreting this as normative or even ideal. This creates a danger of their

emulating the behaviors of the characters and therefore becoming involved in an abusive relationship.

Analyzing the flaws of intimate partner relationships in various best-selling Young Adult novels, this

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thesis reveals how frequently abusive relationships are romanticized among this particular genre. A

feminist perspective informs my thorough analysis of popular Young Adult novels along with case

studies that reveal the prevalence of abusive teen relationships often reflected in these novels. My

project promotes critical thinking and encourages both readers and writers of young adult literature to

pursue a path that does not perpetuate dangerous gender roles or promote abuse.

AUTHOR: AMANDA M. MASSA TITLE: A STUDY EXAMINING THE URBAN FOREST AND BIRD

HABITATS OF COVE RIVER, WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Elyse Zavar

Department: Department of the Environment, Geography, and Marine Sciences

Year: 2015

Due to the increase in population and urban development, urban forests are subjected to several

stressors that can result in unhealthy and disturbed ecosystems without proper management. By

examining the forest characteristics and bird habitats of the 15-acre Cove River forest in West

Haven, Connecticut, this study provides a baseline dataset to help manage this ecologically

important urban forest. Using established forest inventory procedures, I developed a forest health

assessment of the Cove River forest and identified types of bird habitats as well as bird species at

the property in spring 2015. The results of this study indicate that this small piece of land within

the urban environment offers varied habitats and food sources for many resident and migratory

bird species, as well as other forms of wildlife. More importantly, the results suggest that this

urban forest must be properly managed for the survival and continuity of many bird and wildlife

species.

Key words: urban forest, health assessment, forested wetlands

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AUTHOR: MEGAN A. MONTANARO TITLE: A PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN

EFFORTS TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON COLLEGE

CAMPUSES

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Deb Risisky, Department of Public Health

Department: Department of Public Health and Honors College

Year: 2016

The following study is a program evaluation of the current violence prevention and bystander

intervention program conducted by the Violence Prevention and Victim Advocacy Support

center at a medium size public university in the northeast. A total of 147 males and females

ranging from ages 17-25 years of age enrolled at the university during the 2015-2016 academic

years and participated in Greek Life, athletic teams, clubs, and a select few academic classes.

The purpose of this evaluation was to assess differences in change of knowledge and attitude

towards sexual violence and bystander intervention among groups, year in school, gender, and

other variables. Change in attitude and knowledge toward bystander intervention and sexual

violence behaviors were measured using pretest and posttest surveys developed based on the

current program. Overall, there were no major differences in change in knowledge and attitude

between groups. At the end of the program, a majority of the participants reported he or she were

more willing to be an active bystander.

AUTHOR: JILLIAN NEWTON TITLE: UNIVERSITY STUDENT’S WILLINGNESS TO DONATE BONE MARROW

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bernadette Madara

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Department: Nursing

Year: 2016

Although bone-marrow registries contain a substantial number of potential donors, the number

of donors is still unsatisfactory to meet current needs. Be the Match reports that only about 1 in 540 Be

the Match Registry individuals proceed and actually donate bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells

to a patient (National Marrow Donor Program, 2015). The need for willing bone-marrow donors has

been identified not only by the increasing number of blood cancer patients but also by donation

obstacles and lack of education. This thesis assessed the willingness of college-age students to become a

potential bone-marrow donor through the pre and post-test completion of a belief-targeted survey.

Data were collected from 177 university students prior to and following the presentation of two

informational Be The Match™ videos. The diversity among university majors was sought to determine if

a health care focused education influences willingness to donate to an unrelated patient. Comparing

persons with a health related education and willingness to donate bone marrow did not show any

statistically significance. The Be The Match™ videos proved successful in identifying lack of knowledge

and misconceptions among participants.

AUTHOR: RYAN ORLOWSKI TITLE: DISPERSAL PATTERN OF BEACH FILL MATERIAL FROM A

RECENT U.S.A.C.O.E. REPLENISHMENT PROJECT IN WEST HAVEN,

CONNECTICUT

Thesis Advisor: Dr. James Tait

Department: Science Education and Environmental Studies

Year: 2016

The Connecticut coastline is a naturally erosive environment, due to seasonal inequalities in the

energy of fair-weather waves versus storm waves. West Haven has approximately three miles of

beaches, the longest stretch of public beaches in Connecticut. However, because Connecticut

beaches are constantly eroding and because of the rapidly increasing cost of beach nourishment,

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maintaining these beaches has been problematic for the town of West Haven. The most recent

beach nourishment project was initiated in October 2014 by the Army Corps of Engineers, and

involved extracting, transporting, depositing, spreading, and grading more than 91,000 tons of

sand from a quarry in Wallingford, Connecticut, resulting in an astonishing $3.79 million project

price tag. Sand was placed on West Haven’s western beaches between Fairview Avenue and

Tyler Street. Information about the rate of erosion, direction of transport, and location of areas of

deposition or accretion have been collected along this strip of beach beginning in May 2015 and

is being continued today. Slight variations in beach width and volume have been observed along

the southern portion of the beach, while changes in volume and width of greater magnitude have

been witnessed northward towards Bradley Point. The southern reaches of the beach closer to

Tyler Street witnessed minimal accretions or depletions of beach fill material, with the majority

of the displaced material being deposited offshore in the form of bars or have been relocated to

more northward neighboring profiles via the littoral drift process. The northernmost reaches of

the beach nearing Bradley Point have experienced more measurable accretions of beach fill

material, which is theorized to be the result of the deposition of eroded material transported

along shore from the southern portions of the beach. Profiles three through five, located from

Seaview Avenue past Abbott and the firehouse on Ocean Avenue, experienced minimal to no

measurable changes in total beach volume or mean higher high water beach width. Further

research regarding the possible causes for this can be conducted to help better our understanding

of the sediment dynamics of the lower, middle, and upper portions of the West Haven beaches.

Continuing this research well into the future would be valuable to the town of West Haven in

making imminent beach management decisions.

AUTHOR: NICHOLAS PLESCIA TITLE: MEASURING COLLEGE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF THE

UTILITY OF PILL-TAKING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

PREVENTION

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bernadette Madara

Department: Department of Nursing

Year: 2016

As cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading causes of death in the United

States, medication to prevent CVD events is becoming a treatment standard in many practices

(Murphy, Xu, and Kochanek, 2013; McAlister, O'Connor, Wells, Grover, and Laupacis, 2000).

People’s attitudes on daily pill-taking for CVD prevention is an area of interest as a predictor of

CVD treatment plan compliance. Attitudes can be measured using a numerical value, called

utility, ranging from zero (death) to one (perfect health) that represents the quality of life relative

to following a medication regime. Two recent studies sought to measure the utility of medication

use to prevent CVD in adults in the U.S. The studies determined that most adults will take a pill

daily for CVD prevention (Hutchins, Pignone, Sheridan, and Viera, 2015a; Hutchins, Pignone,

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Sheridan, and Viera, 2015b). The purpose of this research was to replicate the studies by

Hutchins and colleagues to determine the utility of daily pill-taking for CVD prevention as

perceived by senior-level college students. This is important because they will soon, if not

already, be faced with the choice to take a pill daily for CVD prevention, as this disease process

begins at a young age. A self-report survey was administered to 124 senior-level students

majoring in nursing, psychology, history, communications, marketing and elementary education.

Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. No statistically significant

differences among factor variables were found for any method of utility measurement at the 0.01

level in this study. The utility values in this study may suggest that college-age people are

theoretically willing, and possibly more willing than older adults, to take a pill daily for

cardiovascular disease prevention.

AUTHOR: ARDEN RAND TITLE: EFFECTS OF PRIMING THE GOLDEN RULE ATTRIBUTED TO BUDDHA,

JESUS, OR MUHAMMAD ON INDIVIDUALS ATTITUDES TOWARD

RELIGIOUS GROUPS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jessica Suckle-Nelson

Department: Psychology

Year: 2016

This study examined the effects of priming either a Jesus-, Muhammad-, or neutral-attributed Golden

Rule on individual’s implicit and explicit attitudes towards various religious groups among thirty-seven

undergraduate college students. It was hypothesized that there would be an interaction effect on explicit

and implicit attitudes according to participants’ religious orientation and the religious prime

received. Participants were first given an explicit attitude survey that measured their attitudes towards

various social groups. Next, participants were given a survey that primed them with either a Jesus-,

Muhammad-, or neutral-attributed Golden Rule quotation. After being primed, the participants were

given an Implicit Association Test (IAT) to measure their subconscious attitudes towards various

religious groups (i.e., Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Buddhists). The implicit association test was then

followed by the same explicit questionnaire previously used to measure implicit attitudes towards various

social groups. The participants were then given a religiosity and spirituality survey. Such research can

help researchers better understand what affects people’s attitudes towards various religious groups, and

help to better understand intergroup relations.

Keywords: religion, priming, Implicit Association Test

AUTHOR: DAVID REISS TITLE: A STUDY EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF SIMILARITIES AND

PERCEPTIONS OF DANGER ON MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

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Thesis Advisor: Dr. Katherine Marsland

Department: Psychology

Year: 2016

Do similarities moderate perceptions of danger and stigma of people with mental illness? The stigma

literature indicates that perceived difference is a reliable and valid measure of stigma. This study

predicted that people would perceive those as more similar to themselves as less dangerous and therefore

report less stigmatizing attitudes. One hundred and seventeen undergraduates students were randomly

assigned to read a vignette that depicted a person with mental illness as similar/dangerous, similar/not

dangerous, different/dangerous, or different/not dangerous. The study found a significant interaction in

which the effect of dangerousness was contingent upon level of similarity for avoidance of individuals

with mental illness. This suggests that similarities may have some moderating effects on the

stigmatization of those with mental illness. Additionally, marginal interactions were found between level

of dangerousness and level of similarity for the endorsement of segregating the target individual with

mental illness from the general population and reported anger toward the target.

AUTHOR: CLARISA RODRIGUES TITLE: UNDERSTANDING EDUCATION IN ECUADOR: AN EXPLORATORY

STUDY OF TWO PRESCHOOLS IN QUITO

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Angela Lopez-Velasquez

Department: Department of Special Education and Reading

Year: 2016

Today’s educators and scholars must have a comprehensive understanding of the types of backgrounds

and cultures of the students and families they serve. The author traveled to Ecuador over the summer of

2015 to explore the educational practices of two preschools located in different areas of Quito. She

observed the schools, the classrooms, and interviewed teachers and administrators. The gained insights on

educational practices on a transnational level suggest that both schools promote the values of

responsibility, space, and independence among the children, despite their young age. Although without

abundant resources to function, personnel in both schools harnessed their ingenuity, resourcefulness, and

creativity to supply materials for the schools and classrooms. The findings also suggest that certain

practices, although different from practices in US schools, respond to the specific values or needs of the

cultural context. The discussion and implications highlight the importance of deeply understanding

cultural contexts before making assumptions or judgments. This study will likely be informative to

educators and school professionals in Connecticut, who could better serve their diverse students and

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families if they are aware of the relevant cultural practices and values that students bring with them to the

classroom.

AUTHOR: LAURA SALVATORE TITLE: NOT MUSES

Thesis Advisor: Jeff Mock

Year: 2016

“Not Muses” is a collection of ekphrastic poetry, with each poem focusing on a different work of

art by a woman artist from the modern art movements. The themes of escape, freedom, and

empowerment are prevalent throughout the piece. The collection explores stories of women from

all different walks of life, with varying ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and a number of

other diverse qualities, since there is no one experience. Some of the poems are in the voice of

the artist, some in the voice of a figure in the painting, and some from a newly created character

that was inspired by the work of art. Women’s voices weren’t heard for a lot of the history of art,

so these pieces are meant to give women back those voices and show an array of possible

journeys.

AUTHOR: ELIZABETH SANTULLI TITLE: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL ABUSE AND SELF-CONCEPT AMONG

COLLEGE STUDENTS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Walters

Department: Department of Psychology

Year: 2016

This study examined the relationship between alcohol abuse symptoms and self-concept among

undergraduate college students (N = 1540). While both alcohol abuse and the self-concept have been

well-studied separately, research on the linkage between the two remains limited, especially among

college students. Data were collected from 1540 undergraduate students (524 men & 1016 women, aged

18-24) at a Northeastern public university. Participants completed psychometric instruments assessing

alcohol abuse symptoms, self-perceived competence in multiple areas of life functioning, and quantity

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and frequency of alcohol consumption. Results indicated that college students with alcohol abuse

symptoms reported poorer self-concept overall, and in multiple areas of life functioning.

AUTHOR: SAMANTHA SCHWIND TITLE: “CONSIDER THIS TAPESTRY, MY LIFE”: INTERSECTIONS OF

NARRATIVE WRITING AND IDENTITY IN ERICA JONG’S FEAR OF

FLYING

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Dana Sonnenschein

Department: Department of English and Honors College

Year: 2016

In 1973, Erica Jong published her semiautobiographical first novel, Fear of Flying, which

chronicles the journey of a young poet searching for freedom, purpose, and self-knowledge. This

bestselling novel has been both widely popular and hotly controversial, mainly due to its overt

questioning of the status quo in heteropatriarchal society. The more serious content of the novel

contains critical reflections on the standard norms of a male-controlled social order, the expected

duties of a woman versus those of a man, the traditional criteria of what constitutes a poet, and

many other elements that embody feminist theory through narrative writing. This thesis explores

the connection between writing and identity in Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying, focusing on three

separate yet interconnected topics: the in-flux identity of the story’s protagonist, the interrelated

personal identity and public persona of the author, and the cultural reactions of the novel’s

original audience. By analyzing writing and identity in Erica Jong’s provocative novel, this

thesis argues that Fear of Flying was instrumental as a consciousness-raising novel of the 1970s

because of its incendiary discourse on the evolving personal, social, and political identities of the

contemporary woman writer.

AUTHOR: CAITLIN SCHWIND

TITLE: A STUDY EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

SPIRITUALITY AND HEALTH AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Michele Vancour

Department: Department of Public Health and Honors College

Year: 2016

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Eighty-nine percent of Americans report believing in God or a higher power, making spirituality

the most widespread psychosocial factor in the United States. A review of the literature suggests

that spirituality is positively associated with healthy behaviors and can provide a beneficial

influence on mental and physical health status. However, previous studies exploring the

association between spirituality and health have primarily focused on the chronically ill, the

elderly, or those who struggle with substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to examine

the relationship between spirituality and health among college students. A sample of

undergraduate college students (n=108, aged 17-23) were surveyed about their spiritual beliefs

and involvement, health status, and health behaviors. Correlational analysis was run using

Pearson’s r to determine if a relationship exists between spirituality and health. Out of the

thirteen health behaviors that were measured, only Beer Propensity was found to have a

statistically significant relationship with Total Spirituality (r=-0.329, p=.001), and Average # of

Tobacco Dips per day was found to have a marginally significant relationship with Total

Spirituality (r=-0.175, p=.071). Additionally, there was no significant relationship found between

spirituality and health status. Future research in this area would benefit from a longer period of

data collection, a larger and more diverse sample size, controlling for personality characteristics

that are associated with spirituality and health, more sensitive survey instruments, and alternative

methods of assessing spirituality and health such as observational methods and anthropometric

measures.

AUTHOR: TROY SUNDWALL TITLE: MODIFIED PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM GUIDE

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jin Jin Yang

Department: Exercise Science

Year: 2016

Physical Education (PE) is an essential service to students with disabilities under the Individuals

with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities have the right to learn essential motor

skills as well as be able to enjoy physical activity in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). One of the

main components of a good PE program is a strong, well-rounded curriculum. The goal of this paper is to

summarize why and how I plan to create and modify a physical education curricula to meet the needs of

students who face a range of developmental challenges. The focus of this project is to create a modified

curriculum that addresses the needs of students with disabilities and enables them to participate in

various physical activities, to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle and incorporate important life lessons

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such as teamwork, cooperation, and positive social interaction. I will take inspiration from reading

various physical education curricula, recording various standards, objectives, units, and activities that

can be modified to create a program that is appropriate for differentiation and engaging for students

with significant individuals. The outcome will be a modified physical education curriculum centered

toward students with autism in grades K-5 that will progressively teach them the skills necessary to be

competently engaged in various physical activities.

AUTHOR: GRACE VIOLA TITLE: THE VITAMIN WARS: FRAMING, CONGRESS, AND THE DSHEA

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh

Department: Department of Political Science and Honors College

Year: 2016

This paper examines the use of frames—a communication tactic used to alter the way an issue is

perceived by a particular audience—and its relationship to the passing of the Dietary Supplement Health

and Education Act of 1994, a piece of legislation that gave the dietary supplement industry the freedom to

market their products without FDA approval. In order to assess whether members of Congress and other

key players utilized frames to alter the way their audience would perceive the issue of supplement

regulation, two Congressional hearings from 1993 were analyzed using keyword searches for the

following terms: (1) “free” (2) “freedom” (3) “access” and (4) “right.” These keywords were coded to

represent a “freedom to choose” frame, which was selected for this study based on the supplement

industry’s prominent use of the concept, or belief that consumers should have the “freedom to choose,”

during their campaign to sway both the American public and Congress into passing the DSHEA. The

keyword search hits were then reviewed manually in order to differentiate between uses that were

irrelevant and relevant to the frame. The data revealed that advocates of the DSHEA used the industry-

driven frame at a much higher frequency than opponents. The data also gave evidence of anchoring, as

opponents’ arguments typically mirrored those of the advocates. The powerful use of the “freedom to

choose” frame that occurred during these “vitamin wars” may have contributed to the sweeping victory of

the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Further research is necessary to reveal the

extent to which this frame—or other frames—affected the opinions of other elite members of Congress.

AUTHOR: MONICA ZIELINSKI TITLE: BREAKTHROUGH: A MAGAZINE INTENDED FOR FEMALE STUDENTS IN

CONNECTICUT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Thesis Advisor: Professor Jerry Dunklee

Department: Journalism Department

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Year: 2016

Female college students outnumber males, according to the Pew Research Center. Women are educated and have the capability to lead, but only a small percentage actually make it to the top. In 2014, women held 5.2 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions and 5.4 percent of Fortune 1000 CEO positions. According to the CIA list of world leaders, of the 195 independent countries in the world, only 17 have female leaders. The motivation to excel should begin before entering the workforce. College is a place for higher education and skill building, but also prepares students to become leaders. This creative project is intended to provide female college students in Connecticut colleges and universities with advice, insights and guidelines on how to advance in their fields and stay on track toward a successful career. The magazine features five women in various professions who share their experiences and stories to shed light on working in their industry. Five students from different universities and majors are featured to showcase their accomplishments and talk about their challenges as college students. Reminding women that goals are achievable will motivate them to continue working hard and reach for higher positions. In addition, the magazine contains a question and answer interview, financial advice about graduate school, tips on getting hired, a list of memoirs by female leaders and a person-on-the-street feature. With advice from financial advisers, real-world tips from professionals and reference lists, this magazine provides a guide for students looking to take on leadership positions or who are working toward them. With proper tools and motivation, young women have the ability to become leaders and break through the glass ceiling.