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  The Effects of Police Killings on Mental Health of African American Individuals: A Review Paper

  Miller, Patrice; Jean, Gridania Christy (2022-12-01)

  The purpose of this review is to develop a better understanding of how current racial issues influence the mental health of minority groups. It covers the death of two individuals, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, who were victims and killed by police violence in 2020. Within one week of George Floyd’s video being released, it was found that anxiety and depression among African Americans shot to higher rates than experienced by any other racial or ethnic group. Their deaths sparked a wave of civic upheaval aimed within African Americans communities across the country. Research shows that police violence negatively impacts the health of many minority groups. Information for this review was acquired through government publications and peer reviewed articles. Qualitative data was gathered by investigating comments made on these events on various social media platforms. The aim of this paper is to educate people on the impact of racism, police violence and injustice on African Americans lives.
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  Work/house

  O'Neil, January; Miraglia, Meghan (2022-11-01)

  Work/house is a hybrid creative-research project that explores the narratives of Irish workhouse pauper inmates during the Great Famine. The project takes on multiple forms: a chapbook printed by Salem State University, a longer manuscript draft, and a digital story told through the coding platform Twine. Research on Irish workhouses was conducted independently after partaking in a free, audio-visual tour of the former Kilkenny Union Workhouse site in July 2022, the writing happening in conjunction with research. The sixteen poems included in the chapbook (and the roughly forty poems in the manuscript, still a work-in-progress) incorporate Irish poetic forms, Irish mythology, and real narratives of pauper inmates who resided in the South Dublin and Kilkenny Union Workhouses. These inmates include Eliza Dalton, a young woman who arrived in the South Dublin workhouse at age nine, and incited uprisings with other workhouse girls; Jane Kane, who drifted in and out of that same South Dublin workhouse while working at her mother’s brothel; Thomas Kelly, a deaf and blind inmate living in the Kilkenny Union workhouse, whose death circumstances were extensively investigated by workhouse Guardians; and James Heam, who, at fourteen, appealed his unjust corporeal punishment. Other phenomena typical of the time – contraction of venereal diseases, infanticide, poverty and starvation – are referenced throughout the poems. Artistic license (such as the blurring of timelines) has been taken in the creation of themes such as hunger, reclamation of femininity and humanity in oppressive social structures, bodily autonomy, complex relationships to/with land and language, motherhood, and female friendship.
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  Overwatered Classes

  Carver, M.P.; Baumann, Rachel (2023-01-01)

  Have you ever wondered when you started stressing so much or when you lost your focus and began grieving what once was? I have found that is part of being human, and I believe it is time to explore those topics and discuss them openly to understand ourselves, and our youth, better. My chapbook, “Overwatered Classes” discusses the impact of stress on a student’s education and how a broken system can emphasize or overlook difficulties in mental health. By comparing the natural world to students, I hope to help readers who desire to understand their world and their community in a more personal way. An abundance of societal and scholarly stress and a shortage of resources leaves students overburdened, or overwatered, with expectations that aren’t their own. My aspiration for this project is to start a dialogue about the stigma of stress impacting human experiences. While writing about my own experiences in the education system, I analyzed which of my experiences are not singular, but scarily common among students. I hope this will help me and my colleagues be better educators in the future but the poetry is for a wider audience. This chapbook is written for anyone who is ready to confront topics considering traumatic experiences, grief, and common disabilities. Some of the heavy subject matter discusses the cycle of frustration or depression with a bleak outlook but I believe it can have a positive end. “Overwatered Classes” is written for most students, educators, and anyone who seeks to understand and support those having difficulty. Most of all it is for anyone who is fighting to understand their own battles, as I once was. You can be understood and deserve patience, if not from others than from yourself.
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  The Impact of Childhood Cancer Beyond the Afflicted: A Literature Review

  Ebersole, Nancy; Gawrys, Carol; Basile, Alessandra (2022-12-01)

  The sudden diagnosis of childhood cancer can be life-threatening and pose a substantial challenge to families. When a child is diagnosed, the family is expected to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills. The family's functioning may alter for long periods of time, which is not always simple, and for many families, it can result in severe emotional stress that lasts for a very long time. In this literature review, seven articles in the PubMed database met the common themes identified (a) the needs and impacts of the family experiencing childhood cancer, (b) social support and siblings of children with cancer, and (c) parental distress related to the diagnosis of childhood cancer. These themes underline the need to increase awareness of the potential emotional harm that these patients and their families might experience. Families are often forced to rearrange their current lifestyles by altering routines and family responsibilities. The importance of illness management regimens combined with physical symptoms like pain and exhaustion are likely to interfere with many aspects of everyday life for not only the children but also for their parents and siblings. It is important to properly assess the family involved to provide sufficient care, as they are also affected. Without proper interventions, family members and children can experience a sufficient amount of emotional, psychosocial, and physical distress that can last for many years.
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  French Canadian Folktales

  Gross, Benjamin; Blood, Elizabeth; Stickney, Samantha (2022-05-01)

  Study something you care about, learn everything you can, and do your best work. Whether your passion is in mathematics, dance, or architecture, I’ve always been a firm believer that choosing to study something you love will make your university days immeasurably more fulfilling. My thesis titled “French Canadian Folktales” is a testament to this philosophy, as it is a marriage of the invaluable passions I’ve accrued during my time as a student: printmaking and French. My goal for this thesis was to create a highly collaborative experience that incorporates these two passions in a way that showcases both my translation and my studio time. Therefore, the following is the result of two semesters’ work crafting print illustrations under my thesis advisor, Professor Benjamin Gross. The translations were completed over three years with Professor Elizabeth Blood, alongside nine students of French: Kristen Burgess, Bayron Contreras, Patrick Delva, Sage Grant, Samantha Gurney, Raymond Harris, Rachael Kuper, Anna Snyder, and myself. The result is a collection of fifteen folktales from 19th century Québécois writers that undergraduate students and faculty have translated from French into English. All folktales have been assembled into a book and accompanied by my original prints. Through this project, may you not only find these stories amusing but also be able to experience the culture and literature of folktales from French-speaking Québec. Bonne lecture!
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  Kathrine Thomas Photography: A Business Rebrand

  Vincent, Cindy; Thomas, Kathrine (2022-05-01)

  When you think of a company, you most likely picture their logo in your head. Having a recognizable brand is something that sets a business apart from others. This thesis focuses on rebranding my business, Kathrine Thomas Photography in order to appear more appealing and cohesive. This thesis examines the successes, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats my business faces with a SWOT analysis, and identifies current communication tactics and evaluates market competition in a situation analysis. This study also incorporates a survey of current clients to understand preferred communication modalities. As a result of this research, my website is now easier to navigate and informs potential clients about what it is like to work with me. I also created a brand identity kit that includes a color palette and typefaces to serve as a guide for my business. Overall, this research serves as a resource for small business owners in rebranding their own business. Website can be found at: www.kathrinethomasphotography.com
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  Don't Tread On Climate Policy: American Nationalism And U.S. Climate Policy

  Silvern, Steven; Wolongevicz, Joey (2022-05-01)

  The United States has a turbulent relationship with both domestic and international climate change policy, fueled by American nationalism. While there are robust fields of research on both nationalism and climate policy separately, research on connections between the two has only just begun in the past few years. When that scope is further narrowed to specifically American nationalism and U.S. climate policy, the field becomes even more sparse. I argue that this void in the conversation is a significant grey area that gives anti-climate actors particular power in determining the fate of U.S. climate policy. Utilizing messaging that plays to the political hegemony of American nationalism has enabled anti-climate actors to kill, weaken, or delay indefinitely a number of important pieces of climate policy. In this paper I will compare and contrast four such policies: the Kyoto Protocol, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (cap and trade), The Clean Power Plan, and The Paris Agreement. I will identify a thread of common themes through each policy, including organized American nationalists, anti-globalism nationalist messaging, American nationalism in electoral politics, mistrust of the United Nations, and examples of American exceptionalism and isolationism. In an age where we have dwindling time to mitigate the worst effects of the climate crisis, understanding the systemic role ideologies like American nationalism play in disrupting climate policy is crucial.
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  The Big Four: A Comparison Of The Major Accounting Firms

  Chene, Douglas; Schembri, Austin (2022-05-01)

  This thesis compares and contrasts the similarities and differences found in the structure and procedures of the four largest public accounting firms. A list of the firms includes: Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PwC. They are multi-national firms with offices in Boston. The major research questions are: How do the four companies relate to one another? Is employee satisfaction and benefits varied or similar? Which one is a best fit for any applicant overall? Due to a shortage of entry level personnel in the accounting field, firms are currently searching for recent graduates to add to their team. These four enterprises are researched for their structure, services, employee benefits, revenue, important clients or number of clients, number of employees total, employee salaries, any bonuses given out, satisfaction of employees both past and present, and what the company does to help the community. Firms with optimal structures and procedures help to create the best work environment, the highest rate of employee satisfaction, and improves the quantity and quality of work being produced. All of these factors are crucial to contributing to the overall success of an accounting firm in the business world. The research is gathered from the four firms’ web sites and other sources. All information has been explained and examined to acquire a better understanding of which firms excel in certain areas. These conclusions may be used to assist current students, entry-level applicants, and even individuals already working in the accounting field in their job searches.
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  A Literature Review Of Alternative Approaches To Escape Extinction In Feeding Protocols

  Gonsalves, Joanna; Setzer, Olivia (2022-05-01)

  This literature review investigated different treatment packages for feeding protocols in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A literature review was conducted on case studies that were conducted on children under the age of eighteen with at least one problem behavior related to feeding. The case studies included were peer-reviewed and published in a journal article in the past twelve years. The review considered a set of variables for each study that included: the number of children who were treated, the effectiveness of the treatment, consistency of results between participants, consistency of results across studies, and follow up treatment effectiveness. Based on the literature reviewed, the results indicated there was no single treatment package that consistently demonstrates a decrease in inappropriate mealtime behavior and an increase in acceptable mealtime behavior. High probability sequences, noncontingent reinforcement, behavioral skills training, least-to-most prompting, and lag schedules of reinforcement were at least moderately effective at decreasing inappropriate mealtime behavior and increasing appropriate mealtime behavior without using escape extinction.
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  Patients, Providers, And Perceptions: Achieving Quality Of Care When Goals Are Not Aligned

  Ebersole, Nancy; Smith, Catherine (2022-05-01)

  Despite asthma remaining one of the most common chronic pediatric conditions, patients are still constantly hospitalized due to poor adherence to the treatment plan. Patient-centered care requires professionals to understand what barriers affect controlled asthma during healthy childhood/adolescent development. This literature review consists of seven key articles from the CINAHL and PubMed databases with common themes identified (a) providers and patients have different goals of effective care; (b) nurses can help identify family roles to manage asthma care while building patient resilience and (c) identifying factors that decrease treatment compliance. These themes highlight the need for nurses to expand their role as medical caregivers and educators into a mediator between pediatric patients, their family members, and their providers. At the same time, natural family roles need to be respected and patients can care for themselves with little distractions from having a healthy childhood. This helps to improve the quality of self-care and decrease hospital readmissions in pediatric patients with asthma.
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  The Intersection Of The Head And The Heart: A Playwright’s Journey In Logic And Emotion

  Cunningham, William; Rossmeisl, Stephanie (2022-05-01)

  Logic and emotion are often seen as antithetical. In most people’s minds, the former connects to the scientific, the mathematical, the intellectual, the objective, and the tangible, while the latter relates to the artistic, the ethical, the subjective, the spiritual, and the intangible. In my process journal, I use my original full-length play, The Intersection of The Head and The Heart, as a means to explore these human qualities’ roles in arguably theatre’s foremost topic of examination: the shared human experience. This ultimately examines whether or not an effective intersection between the two even exists. A detailed breakdown and analysis of the play, as well as commentary on my sources of inspiration, techniques, and overall process from writing to performance, demonstrates how the intersection can be examined, both during the process and in the finished product. Finally, I conclude with my personal, academic, and artistic growth over the years. Particular consideration is given to how this is all a greater reflection of my own life experiences.
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  Fact Or Fiction: Investigating Whether The CSI Effect Is A Valid Concern Or Popular Myth

  Curcio, Gina; Santana, Anthony (2022-05-01)

  Prosecutors have attributed an increase in juror expectations and demands for more scientific evidence (i.e., DNA, fingerprints) in criminal trials to the CSI effect. They believe that TV shows like CSI have influenced juror perception of how criminal investigations are carried out and their understanding of evidence, which has resulted in higher demands for scientific evidence in the courtroom. To investigate this claim of a rise in expectations and demands for scientific evidence, this research study conducted an anonymous, self-administered, online survey consisting of 17 questions that was administered Salem State University undergraduate and graduate students from all different disciplines (n = 90). The survey collected demographic data as well as more specific information about students’ crime-based TV show (both fiction-based and reality-based) viewing habits and their demands for scientific evidence in certain cases. Comparisons were then made between viewers of fiction-based crime TV shows and reality-based crime TV shows to see if there was any significant difference regarding their expectations and demands for scientific evidence. The results indicated that both viewers of fiction-based crime TV shows and viewers of reality-based crime TV shows had very similar expectations and demands for scientific evidence in criminal trials. Therefore, the present study found no correlation between watching fiction-based crime shows and higher demands for scientific evidence as most respondents understood the inaccuracies portrayed in fiction-based TV shows.
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  The Impact Of Disparate Treatment On Pregnancy Outcomes In Minority Women

  Ebersole, Nancy; Pueyo-Garcia, Claudia (2022-05-01)

  Pregnancy is one of the most vulnerable and important events in a woman’s life, however this experience can differ for minority women from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 700 women die each year in the US because of pregnancy or delivery complications while also reporting that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy than white women. More than half of these deaths and near-deaths are the result of preventable causes, and a disproportionate number of the women suffering are Black women. A review of the literature was done using the CINAHL database, and the articles that were collected will be used to find common themes across multiple author’s findings that link directly to causative factors and their outcomes. The themes are (a) minority women experiencing lower-quality care; (b) minority women experiencing biases in communities; (c) minority women experiencing implicit bias within the health care delivery system; (d) minority women experiencing the effects of systemic oppression. Each of these elements have contributed to the rising prevalence of pregnancy-related morbidities and deaths. Nurses must advocate for high-quality, safe treatment and care for every patient to dismantle racial health disparities and decrease maternal morbidity and mortality rates. The desire to learn and to be aware of the variables influencing racial inequalities in pregnant minority women is the first step to improve health care standards and work to dismantle this growing racial health disparity.
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  The Effect Of Music Therapy Programs On Inmates' Anxiety, Depression, And Self-Esteem

  Howerton-Orcutt, Amanda; Robblee, Molly (2022-05-01)

  The use of music therapy as a correctional rehabilitation technique remains a relatively unexplored field. In particular, the effect that music therapy may pose on inmates’ mental health – specifically anxiety, depression, and self-esteem – is a fairly new topic of research. This literature review compares ten studies on music therapy programs in correctional facilities from six authors across the globe. The studies were analyzed and compared to determine if there is a significant relation between participation in music therapy programs and improvements in participants’ anxiety, depression, and self-esteem based on state-approved evaluations or traits closely linked to the mental illnesses. Overall, the data on the subject matter is inconclusive, for there is not enough information to support a significant relation between participation in music therapy and inmates’ mental health, and further research on the topic is warranted.
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  Patient-Physician Communication: The Importance Of Effective Communication For Surgical Procedures

  DeLeon, Patrice; Oliveira, Joice (2022-05-01)

  A physician’s ability to effectively communicate information to their patient is critical for a successful patient-physician relationship. Patients who understand their physician are prone to acknowledge their health condition, understand their treatment plan, adjust their behavior, and follow recommendations. For the following research study, I reviewed current literature on how physicians communicate with young patients about surgical procedures. I recruited undergraduate students at Salem State University to participate in a brief anonymous survey about their experiences with open or laparoscopic appendectomies. Results yielded that 3 out of 30 participants had a laparoscopic appendectomy; 2 of those 3 participants reported having struggled with obtaining satisfactory information about the procedure.
• The Correct Response To 'Hey Boss Babe!' Is 'No': An Exploration Of The Recruiting Techniques Of Multilevel Marketing

  Bahnan, Nisreen; Ortiz, Marguerite (2022-05-01)

  While many people have heard the term “multilevel marketing”, most may not know what the term means and are not aware that the business model is controversial. Multilevel marketing, also known as MLM, sometimes referred to as network marketing or relationship marketing, is a version of direct selling where products are sold and bought through various channels of independent distributors. Many do not want to discuss the messy, unethical, and illegal business practices that may go on in the MLM community. With tactics such as undisclosed earnings and empty promises of effortless riches, MLM corporations enlist a variety of people who are looking for an easy and quick way to make money on the side, such as college students and mothers. While there is some research on the legal and moral issues of MLM — and that of MLM in relation to gender — there is little scholarly research using personal experiences to connect gender to the recruitment practices of MLM businesses. Not only do those at risk of being targeted by MLM deserve to know what warning signs to look for in a company, but victims of this system must have their voices and stories heard. Using surveying as a methodology, this research explores the cautionary signs and unethical recruitment practices of MLM corporations, with a specific emphasis on gender. This paper proves the hypothesis that MLM distributors and recruiters disproportionately target women, with 89% of those approached and 96% of participants in MLM identifying as female.
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  Betting Just Got Easier: The Power Of Machine Learning And Making Predictions

  Nafa, Fatema; Ngandjui, Johnson (2022-05-01)

  There comes a time in your life when you have endeavored to place a wager, whether minuscule or astronomically immense the goal is to victoriously triumph. What if you knew the chances of you winning? In this project, I analyzed The Big Five European soccer leagues data where I predict the probability of what team will win using various machine learning techniques while answering questions to maximize the accuracy of my prediction. The project drives away from the rigorous concepts of numbers, with a visual representation of the analytics. This breaks away from the extensive data into a more conceptualized aspect of betting. Many Bettors bet based on favorites, is that a valid way to place a bet? The first phase of this project is creating a descriptive analysis for understanding the data, the second phase is diving into support vector machines, random forest, and Xgboost to organize data elements and standardize how the data elements relate to one another to answer questions pertaining to wager making. I will make use of PySpark to show distinction between supervised learning models. The complex components will follow a sequential design metric to understand correctly how to maximize your bet. The results will consist of a prototype web application with a descriptive analysis of my findings, this includes betting prediction on my data. Users will get a deep understanding on why the results presented as they did.
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  An Investigation Into The Role Of Gamma Oscillations In Alzheimer's Disease And Future Treatment Options

  Chen, Changqing; Moge, Serena (2022-05-01)

  Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and involves the deterioration of memory and other important cognitive functions. Despite 1 in 3 seniors dying from AD or another form of dementia, there still remains no cure. An accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and tau protein aggregates are what characterize AD. There have been medicines developed that target Aβ and tau protein in order to improve symptoms, but these can neither stop nor delay the progression of AD. Instead, most of the medicines available only aid in symptom control and patient comfort. Researchers have begun to search for new theories of pathogenesis, which may assist in creating new treatments that might cure this disease. One novel area of research in this field is the role of gamma oscillations. It is believed that a disruption in gamma brain waves could be a cause of the formation of Aβ and tau protein aggregation. Although changes in gamma wave activity have been linked to several neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, treatments that restore gamma oscillations to their normal activity have not been investigated widely. The goal of this research is to investigate the current knowledge on AD pathogenesis and treatments, with special emphasis on the impact of gamma oscillations and the exploration of treatments that target restoration of gamma waves.
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  Silly Rabbit, Manipulative Marketing Tactics Are For Kids! – Exploring The Effectiveness Of Ethical Children's Cereal Packaging

  Alves, Brian; Malloy, Mark; Melin, Erin (2022-05-01)

  Through packaging design, designers visually communicate the personality, feel, and quality of a product to potential consumers. When analyzing packaging in the cereal industry, there is a clear line drawn between the playful visual style of cereal targeted at children, and the mature visual style of cereal targeted at adults. Although children’s cereal products are being advertised successfully, the majority of products themselves are often high in sugar, contain artificial flavoring, and include other non-beneficial ingredients. Healthy children’s cereal products rarely receive the same level of engaging and story driven branding that competing unhealthy brands receive. Thus, unethical design standards are used to capitalize off of young children who are unable to fully comprehend advertising efforts. Rather than using design to persuade children into becoming consumers of unhealthy cereal products, the author explored the effects of these tactics when applied to a healthier alternative. She hypothesized that if influential design tactics from unhealthy cereal brands were applied to the packaging of a healthier cereal product, then children may feel visually influenced to try better-for-you options. The author gathered research related to children’s marketing tactics, used her findings to redesign a healthy cereal product, and conducted in person mini-interviews with elementary aged children to test her design against competing brands. Her primary hypothesis was supported, suggesting that children find healthier options with engaging packaging more appetizing and interesting that traditional healthy options. As a result of her study, the author hopes to highlight the importance of ethical design application, and in doing so, encourage positive change within the graphic design and children’s consumer goods industries.
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  Training For Success In The Age Of Globalization

  Mullane, Ken; McCormack, Jared (2022-05-01)

  Globalization has caused businesses to operate across varying cultures. Proper cultural training will maximize efficiency and minimize mistakes. This paper examines the relationship between Chinese and American cultural practices within this context. Based off of the cultural norms discussed and how they are specifically related to business, recommendations on how to implement training protocols to prepare employees for their new environment will be made.

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