Publications

 

Legend and Fact in the Study of Ch'an History

Erik Akre, Religious Studies
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Steve Ostovich, Ph.D.
Department of Religious Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The legendary history of Zen Buddhism developed with the Zen (Chinese "Ch'an") religion in China between the seventh and eleventh centuries C.E. This history not only functions as a religious paradigm for the Ch'an tradition; it is also an important expression of the factual history that produced it. This paper sketches the development and importance of the Ch'an legend within Ch'an history. Through description of the relationship between legendary and factual history in Ch'an, guidelines are drawn for the approach taken by one who would study Ch'an history.

Top of Page

Multiple Dimensions of Memory:
An Analysis of the Social Remembrance in China's Cultural Revolution

Leif Anderson, History
Cohort 12 ~ 2006-2007
University of Wisconsin - Superior
David Tôbaru Obermiller, Ph.D.
Department of Social Inquiry - History
University of Wisconsin - Superior

ABSTRACT

The Cultural Revolution of China exists as one of modern history's most profound and deeply troubling events. For ten long years China was engulfed in a state of acute social turmoil, class hysteria, and political violence. Not surprisingly, the immediate aftermath of the decade-long turmoil established a collective memory of trauma. The death of China's long time Communist leader Mao Zedong in 1976, and subsequent conclusion to the Cultural Revolution (C.R.), ushered in a more pragmatic era under Deng Xiaoping. Deng's policies of economic liberalization and reform produced tremendous economic growth in contemporary China. While the bitter memory of Mao's C.R. enabled the public to embrace Deng's reforms at the time, subsequent economic disparity and government corruption has ironically caused a shift in the social memory of the C.R. Many Chinese, who have fared poorly under Deng's reforms, have reexamined Mao's tenure in a more sympathetic light, producing a nostalgic view of the C.R. Out of the context of this distrust, a revised historical memory of the C.R. has emerged. Analysis of contemporary literary, film, and autobiographical works reveals an emerging nostalgia in Chinese collective memory toward Mao's tenure.

Top of Page

Education for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Nicole Bockovich, Education
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Sr. Mary Richard Boo, Professor Emeritus
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to describe the history of deaf education as it has evolved over the last few centuries and what the implications of this evolution are for deaf children today. The main objectives of deaf education are discussed, as are the options for placement of the deaf student. The education of teachers of the deaf is touched on briefly. The conclusion is made that more supportive research is necessary in order to gain a clearer picture of what direction deaf education needs to take.

Top of Page

The Drake Sisters: A Study of Love and Power in a Pioneer Family

Katharine S. Bogen, Humanities
Cohort 1 ~ 1995-1996
Sr. Mary Richard Boo, Professor Emeritus
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

This study traces the psychosocial development of three of the six sisters belonging to a family of Kansas pioneers. Beginning with their childhood years in the late 1800s and ending in 1940 after the death of the middle sister, I examine the historical, interpersonal, and intrafamilial events that shaped their lives both individually and collectively. The thesis of this research is that birth order, significant events in the family's life, and the historical setting during the sisters' formative years profoundly impacted the development of their sister bonds. These "sister bonds" in turn were influential determinants in the decisions they made throughout their adult lives.

The foundation for this research is a wealth of personal correspondence, legal and historical documents, and photographs that had been kept by the youngest of the Drake sisters. Other primary source material include: legal documents, real estate records, and oral histories. Primary source material is augmented by secondary sources: books and journal articles covering topics such as economics, social, and agricultural conditions of the time period, theories pertaining to the importance of sister bonds in the women's lives, and the role of birth order in personal development gave me new insights into the meaning of these original documents.

Not only does this study shed light upon the relationship of birth order and sister bonds to individual development, but it demonstrates that these factors were as vital to a woman's sense of identity at the turn of the century as they are today.

Top of Page

Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity:
Women of Los Angeles in the Early Twentieth Century

Kaitlin T. Boyd, History and Communication
Cohort 14 ~ 2008-2009
Brenda E. Stevenson, Ph.D.
Afro-American Studies
The University of California - Los Angeles

ABSTRACT

In the early twentieth century, Los Angeles County was greatly impacted by the increasing numbers of people who had complaints of insanity charged against them and persons who pleaded "not guilty by reason of insanity." By the 1930s, the evolution of the court procedures and growing establishment of proper facilities in California progressively made it more difficult to feign insanity to elude punishment and be subject to harsh medical detention undeservingly. The majority of those considered insane were males; however, the gender distinctions were collectively recorded. This unification marginalized women and concealed the underlying motives for filed charges.

Through the analysis of historical newspapers, LA County court archives and documents from the LA Superior Court's first female judge, Georgia P. Bullock, it can be determined if women were more susceptible to faulty accusations of insanity by men and other figures of control in their lives. In these cases, their gender and behavior beyond expected societal roles were consistently mentioned. The acknowledgement of the importance placed upon the gender that influenced reasons for commitment and commitment procedures allows one to better examine the oppression of women in a patriarchal society.

Top of Page

Masterminds on Stage:
Directorial Styles of Constanin Stanislavski and Lee Strasberg

Debra Buse, English
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Sr. Mary Richard Boo, Professor Emeritus
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

"The actors creative process starts when he becomes immersed in the play. He should first of all independently or with the aid of the director, discover the fundamental motive of the play to be produced...the kernel...The basic line of action through all the episodes...we call the through line of action..." -Stanislavski's Legacy

Throughout the past centuries, theatre has evolved from the piresentational style of the nineteenth century posturing and voice to the eclectic styling of the current stage. This process of getting from the script to the stage is a journey that requires the collaboration of the actor and director. But how is it best to continue from the first reading of the script during the initial rehearsal? Should a director first move his actors to an emotional/sensory based understanding of a script and the actor's character, or should the actor first come to a physical, objective based understanding? This paper will compare the work pertaining to physical action and emotion/sensory work done by the two great director/educators: Constantin Stanislavski and Lee Strasberg. Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938), the infamous Russian director, in his earlier years taught emotion/sensory training as a priority in coaching actors. In his later years Stanislavski shifted from that focus to concentrate on the physical action of the script. Lee Strasberg (1901-1982), an American director, studied Stanislavski's technique during the time in Stanislavski's life when he was concentrating on relaxation and sensory memory work.

When Strasberg opened the Actor's Studio in the United States, it was these pieces of Stanislavski's method that he took with him and developed into his own working method. This paper takes a closer look at the use of emotional recall compared to the physical line of action. When a director begins the rehearsal process, is it better for him/her to work from the emotional or the physical aspects of the script? Obviously both are necessary and theatre has proven both methods successful; but for the sake of communication in the actor/ director relationship, which is more relevant? Does the emotional or physical through line have more word-stock for dialogue between the actor and director?

Top of Page

The Broken Window Theory: A Small Urban Community's Perception

George Diaz, History
Cohort 11 ~ 2005-2006
The College of St. Scholastica
Kathleen Cargill, M.A.
School of Arts and Letters
Department of History, Politics, and Culture
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The objective of this field research pilot study was to establish the perception of The Broken Window Theory in a small urban community. Two components were involved within this research pilot study. The first component of the research pilot study examined the opinion of the citizens and its law enforcement officers from an urban northern Wisconsin city by administrating two surveys that determined their awareness of The Broken Window Theory, their opinions about vandalism, and about community /law enforcement responses to vandalism. The second component of the research pilot study consists of a proposal to examine the theory's legitimacy. The proposal will composed of observing and recording all acts of vandalism within an urban neighborhood in a northern Wisconsin city for two weeks. After two weeks, a vehicle would be placed within that neighborhood and become vandalized. Then the vehicle would be observed and recorded for the following two weeks. Data would be analyzed and compared to establish if vandalism increased do to the vehicles placement. This proposal would confirm the validity and accuracy of The Broken Window Theory.

Top of Page

The Empathic Confidant Relationship
and Causality of Life Satisfaction in Older Adults:
A Pilot Study

Steven J. Dick, English
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Patricia Hagen, Ph.D.
Department of Languages and Literature
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

Past studies suggest that older adults who possess confidential relationships report greater life satisfaction than those who do not. I propose that the quality of a close, confidential relationship may predict higher levels of life satisfaction for an older adult. I designed a questionnaire to assess life satisfaction in older adults. The sample consisted of eight volunteer participants, four of whom reported having no confidant, while two said they did have a confidant. A third group was composed of those confidants themselves. The participants who reported having confidants were asked to recruit their confidant as their partners in this study. I proposed that the subjects who reported having a confidant would score higher on the life satisfaction measure than those without one. I further proposed that the quality of the relationship between the subject and the confidant would be positively related to the subject's life satisfaction level. That quality was assessed by the ability of the confidant to empathize with his/her friend's responses on the life satisfaction questionnaire. A higher degree of empathy predicts a higher level of life satisfaction. The results seem to support my proposal, but the execution of the study brought other issues to light that confound the results.

Top of Page

Smokey Bear Turns 60: Retire or Redesign?

Emily Dobbs, Communication
Cohort 7 ~ 2001-2002
Tammy Ostrander, Ph.D.
Department of Communication and Theatre Arts
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to re-evaluate Smokey Bear, the primary public relations campaign of the United States Forest Service. Information on the history of the campaign, the history of fire management, and the benefits of fire were reviewed and included in this research. In addition, a survey of over 200 participants revealed that Smokey Bear is misinforming the American public on two accounts: (1) the Smokey Bear campaign does not address different types of fire and the benefits of fire to some ecosystems, and (2) most elements of the Smokey Bear campaign no longer include important information about fire prevention and protection.

Top of Page

The Composition, Publication, and Reception History of Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian"

Stephen C. Dolence, English
Cohort 13 ~ 2007-2008
University of Minnesota - Duluth
Edward M. Griffin, Ph.D.
Department of English
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Introduction

As such a major writer of the 20th century, Ray Bradbury, with more than 600 short stories and 12 full novels, remains one of the most influential of American authors. He has even gained notice outside of the literary world, for his science fiction has especially attracted the attention of space science programs. In 1992, the Spacewatch project named an asteroid "9766 Bradbury," and an impact crater on the moon is called "Dandelion Crater" as an allusion to Bradbury's 1957 novel, Dandelion Wine. Each of his stories has its own special significance, but in terms of Bradbury's career and his preoccupations, one of the more potent is a small short story, written in 1951, "The Pedestrian." And the story becomes even more powerful when coupled with the composition and publication history of this story. Throughout the years, Bradbury included "The Pedestrian" in several anthologies as his representative work. Moreover, he returned to this work several times in order to make minor changes and to rewrite the story into dramatic form for the stage and television. A study of the composition, publication, and reception history of this early short-short story reveals that it occupies a biographical and thematic importance in Bradbury's impressive body of work disproportionate to its tiny size.

Top of Page

Losing Valuable Russians: The Brain Drain

Wil Dowdell, History
Cohort 5 ~ 1999-2000
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Thomas Morgan, D.A.
Department of Languages & International Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This project describes the current "brain drain" phenomenon; the mass exodus of talented and educated Russians to the USA.
During the 1980s the United States continually recruited scientists and other Soviet citizens in the pursuit of fighting the "communist menace." With the fall of communism, the need to recruit for national security faded. The Americans in the 1990s focused on how the U.S. could integrate the many professional Russian disciplines into the United States' private sector.

The Bush administration recognized the growing shortage of an educated work force. The president was advised to explore the newly opened Eastern Bloc which suddenly offered millions of professionally trained citizens to the U.S. labor force. This was a direct result of the dismantling of the Soviet Union. The United States moved quickly to ensure that proper legislation was in place to eliminate intimidating red tape, making it easier for Eastern Europeans to enter the United States and work.

For a few years, the atmosphere of the newly formed democratic Russian Federation was absolute optimism. For millions of Russians the infinite possibilities which seemed to accompany democracy ignored the exhausted Russian economy resulting from a forty-year arms race. However, during the mid-1990s the Russian economy collapsed, and many Russians began to look abroad for stability and a chance for themselves and their children to escape the declining standard of living.

Many Russians either physically left the Russian Federation or contracted their labor and expertise to foreign companies. Therefore, the mass exodus of Russians during the early 1990s was both a "push" instigated by the Russian government and a "pull" from the United States.

At the close of the second millennium emigration has taken its toll on the Russian Federation. Combined with a low birthrate, a low life expectancy for men, a high infant-mortality rate, a high suicide rate and high alcoholism, the loss of Russians to the West has caused the population to reach an all-time critical low.

This project explores the Russian standard of living which has been devastated by mismanagement and corruption. The low standard of living prevails also because of a lack of trained professionals who are vitally needed to rebuild Russia's collapsed infrastructure.
Historically, the Russian people have been a people of profound patriotism. It has been said that the one thing Stalin gave to the Russians was a motherland. Why then have thousands of Russians each year been forced to leave their homeland for the United States? This project shows that Russia's government must invest in the building of a private sector, and that can only begin with Russia's attracting foreign capital investments.

Top of Page

The Search for Truth in Fiction of the First World War

Jessica Engstrom, English
Cohort 1 ~ 1995-1996
Lee Webster, Ph.D.
Languages & Literature Department
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This research paper explores the domain of World War One prose written by English-speaking veterans who fought on the Western Front. It attempts to define the difference between autobiography and novel, and explain how fiction can convey a greater understanding of the war experience to the reader than non-fiction. The prose authors examined when discussing this issue are Robert Graves, Siegfried Sassoon, Frederic Manning and R.H. Mottram. It concludes that fiction authors are allowed the ‘freedom of lies' in their attempts to recreate the wartime experience, and their protagonists are more universalized than the first-person protagonists of autobiography, thus the reading experience is more meaningful and more real.

Top of Page

A Model for Program Evaluation of Intensive In-home Family Based Services

Jody Fuhr, Arts and Sciences
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
David X. Swenson, Ph.D.
Department of Management
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to present a model of program review designed for Intensive In-home Services at a northwestern Wisconsin full-range mental health center. The project sought to construct a detailed description of the families who used services, identify measures that appeared to be relevant to intervention and conduct a pilot comparison of pre- and post- intervention response measures. Families were found to have significant emotional needs at the individual level and in the parent-child relationship. A wide array of variables, both single measures and standardized tests, enabled initial description of clients, but the sample size was too small to justify a stable statistical comparison at this time. Future research use of the model is also discussed.

Top of Page

Maud Gonne: Voice of the Irish

Kimberly Fuhrman, History
Cohort 1 ~ 1995-1996
Sr. Mary Richard Boo, Professor Emeritus
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

Ireland as a nation underwent a major political and cultural change in the early twentieth century. From living under British rule to an uprising costing many Irish lives to a civil war, a treaty, a divided nation, and finally peace, Ireland would never be the same. Maud Gonne, an Irish nationalist, lived through these momentous changes. She chose to dedicate her life to freeing Ireland and helping its people.

Maud Gonne, born to an upper-class English family, decided at an early age to become "Ireland's Joan of Arc." She made numerous contributions to the Irish nationalist cause. Her most significant contributions were in four particular areas: first, she worked in a political capacity to try to create an Ireland free from British rule; second, Maud did a variety of work directly with the masses, such as helping evicted tenants fight for their homes; third, she helped the women of Ireland organize themselves to take their place in a political scene that was almost exclusively made up of men; and fourth, Maud Gonne made visible to the world beyond England and Ireland this age-old struggle, asking people to question whether Great Britain had the right to rule Ireland.

Maud's character remains unique among her nationalist peers. Few of her peers worked toward the one goal of freeing Ireland without dividing their attentions or compromising their ideals. Maud's lifework centered on freeing Ireland and bettering the lives of the Irish masses.

Top of Pag

Rye and Roots: A Study Exploring Finnish-American Foodways and Ethnic Identity

Mary Jo Hannu, Anthropology
Cohort 3 ~ 1997-1998
Robert Craig, Ph.D.
Department of Languages and International Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This project explores Finnish-American foodways and ethnic identity. A summary of the history of Finland in the 19th century gives a picture of who the Finnish immigrants were and what shaped the foodways they brought to North America. An examination of changes to Finnish immigrant foodways over the past one hundred years, plus data from a written questionnaire, participant observation, and face-to-face interviews suggest what specific foods are current Finnish-American ethnic identity symbols Finally presented are directives for future research exploring what place foodways and ethnic identity have in the lives of subsequent generations of Finnish-Americans.

Top of Page

A Metaphorical Reading of the Christian Resurrection Myth

Isabelle Hill, Religious Studies
Cohort 5 ~ 1999-2000
Steve Ostovich, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

In what we call his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul examined the issue of resurrection. In the Christian tradition, it has often been taught to read the Christ resurrection myth literally. The problem with solely literal interpretations of resurrection stories is that when we read, for example, the Christian resurrection narrative, we have a story that will not work now, because it did not work to begin with when Paul was writing to the Corinthians. It goes against human experience to believe that bodies rise from the dead. Additionally, we dismiss important interpretations that myths serve to tell us about how to live our lives now.

We deny the metaphorical interpretation of a myth when we read it literally. Myths about death and resurrection still offer vital truths about how, as humans, we wonder about, cope with, and explain death. Myths tell us how to live life and face death whether or not there is historical and factual basis to the stories. "Myths are myths from top to bottom." (Campbell, New Horizons) They can still work for us if we are willing to see that they are stories that, as humans, we have used to face death. We are the only species that we know of that anticipates its own mortality. (Campbell, New Horizons) My conclusion is that we can read resurrection myths, like the Christian narrative discussed in 1 Corinthians 15, as metaphors to gain meaning for our lives while we are alive and not just as stories that tell us literally what happens after we die.

Top of Page

History's Struggle:
The Use of Reason and the Passions

Jeremy Hunter, History
Cohort 10 ~ 2004-2005
University of Wisconsin - Superior
Karl Bham, Ph.D.
Department of Social Inquiry
University of Wisconsin - Superior

ABSTRACT

Since the European Enlightenment, from the early 18th century to the late 19th century, the same rhetoric has been reinforced from the world's political leaders to the Nation-States they represent. Key words, such as "freedom", "liberty", and "equalitt", and key sentiments, "such as for the good of all humankind", have been common phrases from Robespierre, who used these terms during the French Revolution of 1789, to Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who used the same rhetoric during the May Revolution of 1968. Moreover, the relationship between Reason and the Passions has become increasingly important to the world's political, economic, and intellectual arenas, and the use of this relationship has been debated by authors, such as David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Edmund Burke, and Thomas Paine. Even though many Historians refer to this age as Post-Modern it is evident that the language of this age is the same as the Enlightenment. This research thus takes the key relationship expressed by the Enlightenmen'ts main intellectuals, and makes an in depth analysis on how they view the relationship between Reason and the Passions, and more importantly how this key relationship should be applied. With this foundation the second part of this article then summarizes the key speeches and texts given by three political leaders, and analyzes how the relationship between Reason and the Passions is used according to their political agendas, and the effects of their use.

Top of Page

From Angels to Tomb Raiders:
A Study of the Construction of the Female Hero Archetype in Action/Adventure Films

Lisa D. Johansen, Communication Major
Cohort 8 ~ 2002-2003
Mentor: Tammy Ostrander, Ph.D.
Communication and Theatre Arts
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The findings presented in this study focus on the construction of the female hero archetype in popular action/adventure films from 1997-2002. The study begins with briefings on the monomyth theory and hero archetypes, and then addresses three categories of archetypal construction: 1) hero willingness, 2) hero type, and 3) hero social orientation. The findings of the study are discussed in terms of frequency of category depiction and correlations between hero willingness/hero type, hero willingness/hero social orientation, and hero social orientation/hero type.

Top of Page

The Pardoner's Intent:
Examining the Role of Revenge in the Canterbury Tales
and the Medieval Reader's Interpretation

Travis Johnson, B.A., English
Cohort 9 ~ 2003-2004
William Hodapp, Ph.D.
Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

For myn entente is nat but for to wynne
And nothing for correcioun of synne
-The Pardoner

ABSTRACT

This article examines Geoffrey Chaucer's "Pardoner's Tale" as it relates to The Canterbury Tales' frame narrative, the pilgrimage, and the Pilgrims. Within the context of medieval literary theory, this article explores the interplay between Chaucer's characters and the tale-telling game, particularly the idea of narrative warfare: the notion that a tale serves as a personal attack. The essay proposes that the Pardoner, like other Pilgrims, participates in narrative warfare, concocting an elaborate joke, the butt of which is the Pilgrims who are unable to "get" the joke. The article concludes in light of medieval reading habits, however, that Chaucer's audience, ironically, would "get" the Pardoner's joke.

Top of Page

Performance Practice of Debussy's Piano Music

Gretchen Johnston, Music
Cohort 8 ~ 2002-2003
LeAnn House, Ph.D.
Music Department
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

Debussy's piano music is often performed in a manner inconsistent with his intent. Markings in his scores are not often as scrupulously observed as he would have wished. This study looks at Debussy's piano music and makes conclusions about how he wanted it to be performed. First, Debussy's instrument and its tone are discussed, providing some insight on the type of sound he preferred. The German piano models that he liked best had a more robust sound than the thin-toned French Erards. Subsequent sections deal with specific performance practice issues: technique, ornamentation, dynamics, tempo and rhythm, articulation, and pedaling. Each section describes, using quotes from his students and examples from his own playing, how Debussy wished his interpreters to perform. The final section, structure, touches on the editorial process that Debussy went through to perfect a piece. He wanted every indication to be in the place where it would achieve the maximum effect and labored intensely to be sure that was the case. Debussy's concern for precision is paramount. Nonetheless, his notation is sometimes ambiguous and at best inadequate to completely convey his dramatic intentions.

Top of Page

An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Two USAID Agricultural Projects:
Rural Zambia (1995 and 2009)

Dylan T. Kesti, Communication & Global Politics
The College of St. Scholastica
Cohort 14 ~ 2008-2009
Heather Heckel, Ph.D., Mentor
Department of International Environment and Development
American University

ABSTRACT

In order to address the complex global challenges that face the international aid arena, all actors must analyze their projects and design modalities of aid that crystallize sustainable development. Research indicates that poverty and underdevelopment are complex, multifaceted, and interconnected global challenges. Furthermore, with the effects of global climate change on hydrological variability and food security, the international environment and development arena face unsurpassed challenges and critical impasses in catalyzing sustainable development. The central question of this study is: what has been the impact of attempts by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to raise the output incomes of rural Zambian farmers while decreasing hunger, poverty and malnutrition? The goal of this study is to analyze two USAID agricultural projects in 1995 and 2009 as case studies to evaluate the effectiveness of aid under two juxtaposed modalities. This study is analyzing the effectiveness of USAID aid in achieving its said aims and goals when the modality and delivery includes local community leadership, long-term sufficient funding, and capacity building supporting community engagement. The evidence supports the hypothesis that aid projects without community leadership, sufficient funding, and capacity building, are less likely to meet their aims and goals. It is time for the international aid arena to analyze its effectiveness, and redesign approaches that support and pursue sustainable development. This study is one step in trying to assess the larger pattern of foreign aid and its impact.

Top of Page

Historical Role of the High School Counselor

Emily Kyllonen, Behavioral Arts and Science
Cohort 11 ~ 2005-2006
The College of St. Scholastica - Duluth
Mari Trine, Ph.D.
School of Arts and Letters - History, Culture, and Politics
The College of St. Scholastica - Duluth

ABSTRACT

The body of this literature reviews historical role of the school counselor from when school counseling began in the early 1900s up until the 1980s, predominately focusing on the school counselor's role during the 1940s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. In analyzing the role of the school counselor, it is very clear that the role expectations were changing throughout each decade. Role expectations of the school counselor experienced many changes through the years but many staff were unable to keep up with these changes. Furthermore, role ambiguity persisted in the school counseling profession from the 1940s to the 1980s. To understand the school counseling profession today, it is important to understand its brief history, the changing role expectations of school counselors throughout history, and the role confusion that the school counselors experienced.

Top of Page

How Traditional Native Americans Practice Their Religion
While Serving in the United States Military

Carol Latour, English/American Indian Studies
Cohort 9 ~ 2003-2004
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Thomas Zelman, Ph.D.
Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This paper explores how traditional Native Americans practice their religion while serving in the Untied States military; however, it also discusses the process of exploring this topic. It contains an amalgamation of what my original thesis contained, what happened when that thesis broke down, and what I learned both academically and personally throughout the entire process. I will explain how my initial expectations both motivated and hindered my research, and how the breakdown of my thesis created a clearer and more accurate depiction of Native American culture. By combining historical information with personal interviews of Native American veterans, this paper will illustrate how the research setbacks changed not only the controlling idea, but myself as well.

Anishinaabemowin as a Way of Being: Language, Culture, and Identity

LeAnn Littlewolf, Social Science
Thomas Zelman, Ph.D., Department of Language and Literature

ABSTRACT

Currently, whole languages across the world are facing extinction, threatening the viability and availability of the adjoining cultural knowledge. The issue of language attrition is a vital concern to American Indian communities, as many indigenous languages are
disappearing with the death of elderly fluent speakers and the lack of mother-tongue transmissions. Loss of language skills limit individual and communal access to cultural knowledge, an essential aspect of cultural identity. A statement by Earl Nyholm asserts that without the language, the cultural identity of the Ojibwe people no longer exists. The Ojibwe people of Minnesota are currently struggling with a language loss that has occurred over three and a half centuries. Through the history of language loss and current efforts of renewal, parallels can be drawn between cultural identity and language. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis maintains that world view, which is shared by members of a culture, is shaped by the structure of the language. In this way, language and culture are intertwined. This inseparable relationship is evident through examining the subject matter, grammatical classification, etymology, and morphology of the Ojibwe language. Through the language, a deeper understanding of the traditions, belief systems, and world view of the Ojibwe culture is possible. In central pieces of the Ojibwe culture, such as traditional ceremonies and oral teachings, the Ojibwe language is essential. Fluency in Ojibwe means more than learning new words; it entails a different way of viewing and being in the world. Language death of the Ojibwe language means more than the loss of words and grammar structure; it signifies the end
of traditional Ojibwe cultural practices, and ultimately, of cultural identity.

The Littlewolf Family: A Study of Love and Labor from the
Leech Lake Indian Reservation to the Mesabi Iron Range

LeAnn Littlewolf, History
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Thomas Zelman, Ph.D.
Department of Languages and Literature
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

In the summer of 1950, an Ojibwe family decided to leave the familiar landscape of their home reservation of Leech Lake to find work on the economically booming Iron Range. The Littlewolfs made the decision that involved breaking tribal ties and distancing themselves from the traditional land that represents the symbolic home to search out economic and educational opportunities. While many American Indians gravitate to urban centers, others seek a livelihood closer to home in smaller cities or towns. My study is not a comprehensive project examining the Ojibwe off-reservation migration to small towns, but a case study examining aspects of one family's experience in terms of quality of life questions and cultural identity. External conditions prompted the Littlewolfs' decision to leave the reservation. Federal policies affected both life on the reservation and the motivation to leave. The conditions on the reservation directly affected rates of acculturation for Ojibwe people. The Littlewolfs moved to a region rich with different backgrounds. The mining industry lured many immigrants from around the world. Parallels of cultural change exist between the Ojibwe and immigrant experiences.

This case study challenges extreme lines of thought regarding the status of cultural identity. Customary views of Ojibwe people range from the traditional Indian, frozen in the past, to the fully assimilated Indian, devoid of any distinguishing cultural features. I propose the experience of the Littlewolf family more closely resembles A. Irving Hallowell's concept of transculturalization. For Ojibwe people are a segment of American culture, as well as a product of their own culture. The difficulty lies in the lines drawn between the two cultures as being separate and distinct. In truth, there is a fluid interplay between the two experiences that represent more accurately the experience of the Ojibwe person in the 20th century.

Top of Page

Gender, Language, and the Duluth News Tribune

Sarah Loetscher, English
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Thomas Zelman, Ph.D.
Department of Literature and Language
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

After examining representative issues of the Duluth News Tribune published during 1997, I analyzed the language of this newspaper to determine how males and females are portrayed. In the Seventies, reformers began challenging gender-exclusive aspects of the English language. Through my research of the News Tribune, I found that since the 1970's, language has changed somewhat to accommodate the movement toward gender equality. While the News Tribune staff has nonsexist writing and editing guidelines today, this paper establishes how gender-abuses take place despite the Tribune's efforts to avoid such inequalities. Because newspapers are influential displayers of words, the News Tribune and other dailies are powerful shapers of society. Many of the sexist examples illustrate how journalists are likely to view men and women in traditional, gender-specific roles. Because communities are greatly affected by journalistic language, people unconsciously integrate newspaper stereotypes and labels into their everyday communication.

Top of Page

Eugenics in American History: A Brief Overview

Jennifer Lund, History
Cohort 11 ~ 2005-2006
The College of St. Scholastica
Carrie Taylor, M.A.
School of Arts and Letters - English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The American Eugenics Movement promoted a new science that claimed humans could further their own evolution through selective breeding practices. This resulted in the implementation of Eugenic practices in all aspects of dominant society including the spheres of religion, education, and law. The effect was the imposed prejudices of dominant society on the mentally disabled, the poor, and people of color. This research will explain these effects as well as consider the future implications of Eugenic practices of the 21st century.

Top of Page

Puerto Rico:
How the prevalent notion of homogeneity continues the marginalization
of African descended Puerto Ricans

Dennika E. Mays, International Languages and Studies
Cohort 15 ~ 2009-2010
The College of St. Scholastica
Martin Pflug, PhD, Mentor
School of Arts and Letters
Department of International Languages & Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

"indeo y africano
...las cadenas
que a mis razas humillaron..."
[Indian and African/...the chains/ which humiliated my races.../]
poem by Luis Felipe Dessus

Luis Felipe Dessus, born circa 1875 (right after Spain abolished slavery in Puerto Rico in 1873), was a black politician and journalist who wrote political and black-themed poetry. Having both Taίno Indian and African ancestry, Dessus represented one voice in a choir of intellectual and popular voices who wrote for the oppressed minorities of Puerto Rico: the Africans and the Taίno. Despite historical and institutional racism throughout Dessus's time, African and Taίno ethnic components survived and today, along with the Spanish component, make up the cultural foundation of contemporary Puerto Rico.

Because of the racial diversity on the island, many Puerto Ricans argue that racism is minimal or non-existent in Puerto Rico. Widespread belief in this notion has defined parameters for Puerto Rican identity. As a result many Puerto Ricans maintain that racism is not an issue [on the island] and, therefore, Puerto Ricans of African descent are not marginalized. However, as the following comprehensive review of the historical, social and cultural "chains which humiliated (African) races" (Dessus) will demonstrate, Puerto Ricans of African descent are, in fact, systematically marginalized. In addition to these revelations, it will become clear that the aforementioned popular perception of homogeneity and the suggestion that there is no racism towards black Puerto Ricans cannot be further from the truth.

This study begins with a brief overview of the history of Puerto Rico and its implications with regard to the search for, and formation of, Puerto Rican identity. This historical synopsis is followed by a layout of the analytical framework the study utilizes. It is based primarily on the work of Edwin Nichols and Vernon Dixon and their interpretations of axiology, epistemology, logic, and process with respect to the cultures of Europeans/Euro-Americans, Africans, and those indigenous to the Americas. In the third section, this investigation applies this analytical framework to various examples and case studies. This investigation ends with a set of conclusions and analytical reviews that seek to offer some insight on methods which could begin a counteraction against racist social undercurrents in Puerto Rico.

Top of Page

Male Figure Photography:
Controversy, Censorship, and the National Endowment for the Arts

Matthew McCauley, Studio Art - Photography
Cohort 3 ~ 1997-1998
Pope Wright, M.S.
Department of Fine Arts
University of Wisconsin - Superior
Ann Blackwell, School of Art and Design
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

ABSTRACT

Censorship and controversy have affected the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in a negative manner for the past ten years. Funding provided by the NEA for the Robert Mapplethorpe retrospective, "The Perfect Moment," created the catalyst that Congress has used to cut funding from the NEA's budget. With the major focus on censorship in photography, this research contrasts views of photographers that focus on the male figure and Senators who want to prevent the NEA from funding male nude photography.

Top of Page

Performance Edition of a Violin Sonata by Giuseppe Tartini
Drawn From a Manuscript Archived at The University of California at Berkeley
Sonata á Violino é Basso No. 78
(B. A 30, It. 787.)

Frederick D. McDougall, Music Education, Ojibwe Language and Culture Education Program (OLCE)
Cohort 13 ~ 2007-2008
The College of St. Scholastica
Elyse Carter Vosen, Ph.D.
School of Arts and Letters
Department of Languages and International Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

In my estimation, it is quite possible that the piece of music around which this research revolves has never been published. There also exists the possibility that this piece has not been heard for nearly 260 years. I first learned of the elusive "Berkeley collection" of manuscripts--the source of this piece--during spring semester at The College of St. Scholastica, where I traced the evolution of the violin concerto in the Classical period of music. It was in the midst of this work that I discovered the existence, at Berkeley, of the collection of manuscripts of Italian instrumental music, including a significant number of works by a uniquely gifted composer, violinist, teacher and theorist named Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770). To have such a comprehensive collection relatively close and available for inspection drew my interest, carrying me to the Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library on the Berkeley campus in July, 2008. Since then I have produced for my performance, an edition of a violin sonata taken from a manuscript created during the period in which it was composed. Through this process of research and performance it has been my quest to present the musical experience that is expressed through Tartini and his Sonata No. 78.

Top of Page

Shooting at Hurricanes:
Disaster (Mis)Perceptions and (Un)Preparedness of Florida Undergraduates

Jacob G. Norlund, Languages & International Studies
Cohort 14 ~ 2008-2009
The College of St. Schoalstica
Alyssa Collins, Samuel Cramer, Jason L. Simms,
Margarethe Kusenbach, and Graham A. Tobin
Department of Geography
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

"My family would shoot many guns at the hurricane..."
-Survey Respondent

ABSTRACT

Undergraduate students at the University of South Florida, Tampa campus (n = 217) were interviewed on their perceptions of hurricanes and their preparations for hurricane season, as well as a proposed USF online hurricane readiness course. In addition, demographic information was collected from each participant. A disconnect between students' perception of the chances of a hurricane hitting Tampa and their level of concern and preparation was observed, with the majority overestimating the probability of a hurricane making landfall yet being either not concerned or neutral (70.5%) and not prepared or neutral (64.6%). Support for an online hurricane course was high, with only 28.6% of students disagreeing with the plan. A difference between perception of a hurricane making landfall and support for the course reached statistical significance (p=0.041).

Top of Page

Pastoral Influence on Justice Action in the Local Church

Ann Nordgren, Religious Studies
Cohort 8 ~ 2002-2003
Sister Katherine McLaughlin, Ph.D., CSJ
Department of Religious Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

For Christian pastors, a tension exists between the biblical mandate and ordination promise to faithfully carry out justice action on behalf of the poor, and the resistance encountered from some members of the congregation. The research question was: How can a pastor balance this tension? Drawing from the published works of biblical scholars and personal interviews with Jewish and Christian clergy, this research compares the biblical ideals of justice action with practical applications in the local church setting. Common elements were found among pastors who successfully balanced the tension, thereby gaining greater acceptance of justice action ideals. The research has important implications for present and future ministries, not only for the author, but for others as well.

Top of Page

The "Real" Lives of Vladimir Nabokov:
A Critique of Three Novels

Jamie L. Olson, English
Cohort 5 ~ 1999-2000
Thomas Zelman, Ph.D.
Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The distinction between truth and fiction in the interpretation of literature is not always clear, particularly in light of the reader's tendency to subjectively "read into" the text information that may not be intrinsic. In the novels Lolita, Pale Fire, and The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Vladimir Nabokov exploits this tendency to the fullest extent, blurring the reality/art dichotomy by means of narrative deceit and often parodying the reader's relationship to the text. The implications of these techniques and of solipsistic reading are explored in this paper, and ultimately extended to encompass literary analysis in general, thereby examining how one should interact with a fictional piece of literature.

Top of Page

Working Side by Side: Classroom Teachers Better Serving Students with EBD

Amanda Panek, Elementary Education
Cohort 9 ~ 2003-2004
Beth Lavigne, M.Ed.
Department of Education
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

General education teachers need to implement effective instructional strategies while working with students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD). Special Education students are better served when their General education teachers and Special Education teachers work together. Throughout the years treatment and strategies have evolved to better serve students with disabilities. Persons that work with students with Emotional Behavioral disorders need special instruction and techniques. Changes need to be made to help these special students be as successful as their peers with and without disabilities.

Top of Page

Personality Type and Preferred Teaching Methods of College Faculty

Janelle Pulczinski, English
Cohort 1 ~ 1995-1996
David Swenson, Ph.D.
Management Department
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain teaching methods were preferred by certain personality types of college faculty. The participants of the study were faculty members of a small liberal arts college in Northern Minnesota. Results showed that certain personality types had preferences for specific teaching methods. The preferences were more related to the combination of personality dimensions rather than single dimensions. Some restrictions, such as a small number of participants and a tendency for the participants to teach in accordance with students' preferences rather than their own, may have affected the results. The results of the pilot study are encouraging, and support further study with a larger sample to explore refinements in preferred teaching methods. Other implications of research possibilities are discussed.

Top of Page

A Native Journey: Walking In Two Worlds

Wendy Quade, Ojibwe Language and Culture Education
Cohort 6 ~ 2000-2001
Kim Granberg, Ph.D.
Department of Education
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This phenomenological research explores the essence of lived experience of people of mixed Native American heritage. The central research question for which greater understanding is sought in this interpretive research is: "What has been your experience as a person with mixed Native American heritage?" This question will explore purposeful sample data from four people who are of mixed native heritage and who identify themselves in varying degrees as Native American. Two of the participants are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe. One is a non-enrollee, who is unsure of blood quantum percentages in her family, and the fourth participant meets criteria for enrollment, but is a non-enrollee by choice. The criteria used to determine the participants are: (a) participants identify on some level as a Native American, be of mixed Native American heritage, and (b) participants are able to pass as a person of non-color in dominant US society.

Considering the sparse amount of research available in a phenomenological format regarding people of mixed-native heritage, this study will fill a gap in scholarly research. Also, there is a need for native people to research other native phenomena, in order for research to be presented from a native perspective. The research is designed to share insights of native people rather than to exploit.

Top of Page

Urban Renewal and Modernization of Hong Kong and Beijing

Lora L. Rooni, East Asian Studies
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Cohort 14 ~ 2008-2009
Marshall Johnson, Ph.D.
Department of Social Inquiry
University of Wisconsin-Superior

ABSTRACT

While Hong Kong and Beijing are relatively different, they share many similar governmental problems. Studying the social changes in each city requires attention to how their governments are undertaking and controlling the uses of urban space. The residents of both cities are growing tired of invariable governmental threats to their lives and accommodations, and many people are beginning to demonstrate awareness of change. Both governments are allowing large businesses to advance while letting ancient ways of living to become a thing of the past. Throughout this paper I will provide evidence from my research and field work in Hong Kong and Beijing in 2007 and 2009 that housing reform and modernization in Hong Kong and Beijing are dramatically affecting lives of common people through social changes, urban development and redevelopment, and loss of social networks.

Top of Page

The Evolution of Henry David Thoreau's Perspective
Toward the American Indian in his Journal

Deanne Schaefbauer, English/Indian Studies
Cohort 6 ~ 2000-2001
Kim Granberg, Ph.D.
Department of Education
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This project explores Henry David Thoreau's attitude toward the American Indian as presented in his Journal. The challenge of this proposal is to show how Henry David Thoreau evolved, changed, and altered his opinion as he familiarized himself with the American Indian. Furthermore, it is the intention of this project to apply nineteenth century white imagery, the concept of savagism, and ethnocentrism (that permeated society) while analyzing his Journal entries; thereby assessing how these factors may have influenced Henry David Thoreau's initial bias.

Top of Page

Aboriginal Language Immersion in the Secondary Model and the Adult Learner

Deanne Schaefbauer, English/Ojibwe Language and Culture/Secondary Education
Cohort 6 ~ 2001-2002
Dr. Kim Spoor, Ph.D., Department of Education
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to explore language immersion as it pertains to aboriginal communities. An emphasis is placed on examining existing adult immersion language models. The secondary model and the adult learner will be examined in the context of language renewal and revitalization. Moreover, the two central questions for which greater understanding is sought in this research are the following: "What elements must exist in aboriginal language immersion models for fluency and functional literacy/success to occur?" and "Is language retention and fluency feasible?"

"We're not losing our language, our language is losing us."
(White Earth elder Joe Auginaush as quoted in Truer, 2001, p. 5)

 

The Stereotypical Effects of Advertisement on Women

Woubejig Shiferaw, Marketing and Communication
Cohort 8 ~ 2002-2003
University of Minnesota - Duluth
David Anstett, M.B.A.
Management Studies
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of advertisements is to sell products and services. While they sell many products and services, they also sell the American public "ideal" images of a woman. Women who are used by ad companies are considered to have the ideal look, which is a tall, very thin body, long blond hair and smooth face. The ideal woman that we see on every page we turn makes up only 5% of the adult woman population and weighs 23% less than the average American woman. The presence of women with the ideal look in advertisements is making many women in America feel uneasy and insecure about themselves. However, what the majority of Americans do not know is that some of the women that are seen in advertisements are a combination of three or four women's body parts put together to form the desirable woman. Therefore, this research project discusses the effects of advertisements on women.

Top of Page

Thinking Mathematics: A New Approach

Christine Schelonka, Education
Cohort 2 ~ 1996-1997
Sister Mary Richard Boo, Professor Emeritus
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

Students today are overwhelmed by their own perceptions of mathematics. Not only are students disappointed with their achievements but teachers seem discouraged as well. The inadequate achievement of U.S. students in mathematics has been chronicled in headlines, papers, books, and conferences. What U.S. students may need to succeed in mathematics is not the ability to memorize facts and formulas, but rather teachers who are interested in the process in which students understand and learn math. There are challenges whenever something new is introduced. There is no nationally defined mathematics curriculum, and less advanced mathematical content is now an outcry across America. However, what is not needed is one more new curriculum. In itself, that will not solve a national problem. Rather, we need a new philosophy of teaching math--Thinking Mathematics.

Top of Page

Women and Gender in Seventeenth Century England:
As Seen in Three Women's Plays

Katie M. Sundstrom, English and History, Politics & Culture
Cohort 11 ~ 2005-2006
The College of St. Scholastica
Sandra Logan, Ph.D.
Department of English
Michigan State University
William Hodapp, Ph.D.
School of Arts & Letters - Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The paper studies the interconnections between the gender debate of the seventeenth century in England and three women playwrights and their plays. Through an analysis of the lives of Elizabeth Cary, Margaret Cavendish, and Aphra Behn, the author places them into the greater context of their historical backgrounds, studying how their actions challenged the traditional gender concepts of the age. At the same time, through specific plays from each, Cary's The Tragedy of Mariam, Cavendish's Love's Adventures, and Behn's Feigned Courtesans, the author compares the roles of the leading female characters and the traditional gender concepts, stressing at which points the characters deny the roles they have been forced into and instead forge new paths for women. In this way, a new and continually-changing model for women is portrayed, leading into many of the rights that women enjoy to this day.

Top of Page

The Role of Female Identity and Relationships in Brian Friel's Plays

Carrie Taylor, English
Cohort 6 ~ 2000-2001
William Hodapp, Ph.D.
Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the role of women in Irish literature, supported by the texts of three plays by contemporary Irish playwright Brian Friel. The traditional roles of the woman are examined, and it is concluded that although Friel acknowledges traditional roles by the female, his interpretation takes an untraditional spin on the roles of nurturer, lover/companion, and educator. The presentation of these roles is imperative to the analysis of the key male characters of each play. It would be impossible to disassociate the relationship between the ability to fulfill these roles, however successfully or unsuccessfully, and the influence of the male characters with whom these women interact in the plays.

Top of Page

A Feminist Reading of the Martha and Mary Stories:
Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44, 12:1-8

Rebecca S. Thelen, Religious Studies
Cohort 1 ~ 1995-1996
Steve Ostovich, Ph.D.
Religious Studies Department
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

This research project deals with New Testament studies and specifically the stories involving two female disciples, Martha and Mary, found in the Gospels of Luke (10:38-42) and John (11:1-44). This research explores the differences between the accounts using a feminist biblical hermeneutic. First, this hermeneutic begins with the experience of women and the effort to gain liberation from the oppressive and patriarchal systems at work on social and ecclesiastic labels; it approaches scripture with the understanding that it is the product of a patriarchal culture and has been interpreted from a patriarchal male-centered framework. This makes it possible to expose those texts that are oppressive and to deny their claim to be the Word of God. Second, there is much to be discovered regarding the liberating aspects of the scripture which have been down played or denied in order to keep women from becoming full equal partners within their Church. This feminist approach sheds light on these texts in a new and more inclusive way engaging all members of the Church in biblical exegesis for a new sense of wholeness within the community of Christ.

Top of Page

The Rule of Saint Benedict in Two Different Settings

Theodore Thompson, History
Cohort 7 ~ 2001-2002
Sister Martha Bechtold, M.P.S.
Religious Studies
St. Scholastica Monastery

ABSTRACT

The Benedictine Saint Scholastica Monastery of Duluth, Minnesota and the African Benedictine Congregation of Saint Agnes have developed in entirely different societies, but both communities follow the Rule of Saint Benedict as a guide to monastic living and so have many similarities. By following the Rule of Saint Benedict, each monastery has affected the development of healthcare, education, and spirituality in their respective regions. This study looks to assess the different ways these monasteries have affected the society in which they developed.

Top of Page

Remote Sensing of the Rip Currents along the Beaches
on Park Point, Duluth, Minnesota

Shirley Tillman, Geography
Cohort 12 ~ 2006-2007
University of Minnesota - Duluth
Olaf Kuhlke, Ph.D.
Department of Geography
University of Minnesota - Duluth

ABSTRACT

This research examines the use of remote sensing imagery of rip currents off the beaches of Park Point, an island in Lake Superior, Duluth, MN. The imagery proposed is Quickbird® imagery orthoready standard tasking color Infrared pan sharpened (3-band) 2 ft by 2.3 ft acquired through DigitalGlobe. The hypothesis is that this imagery should allow the infrared band waves to be interpreted and show the rip currents along the shoreline better than the use of in-field research techniques.

Top of Page

The Readings of a Writer:
The Literary Landscape Created by L.M. Montgomery's Love of Literature

Emily S. Woster, English
Cohort 9 ~ 2003-2004
Patricia Hagen, Ph.D.
Department of English
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

The ‘literary landscape' is an original concept to this research. L. M. Montgomery's journals offer insight into the reading habits of a writer as no other source could. This landscape is the world created in one's mind by books, poems, plays, stories and histories. The ideas and characters within these writings affect the way an author thinks and writes, in much the same way this author's works affect those who read it. Buried in her journal, through all of her emotional trials, triumphs and mundane recitations of everyday life, Montgomery left hints as to the makeup of her landscape and clues as to who populated

Top of Page

Integrating Art with At-Risk Youth Within the Duluth Community

R. Maceo Wright, Graphic Design
Cohort 7 ~ 2001-2002
Sarah Bauer, M.F.A.
Department of Art and Design
University of Minnesota - Duluth

ABSTRACT

Integrating art as a form of expression for at-risk youth in the Duluth community may be beneficial to the entire community. The Brotherhood Empowerment Program developed its Children At-Risk Program as a response to the many marginalized children in the community whose opportunities for exposure to and immersion in the arts were increasingly limited or plainly non-existent. The goal of this program is to enrich the students to a higher level of understanding art: i.e., creative expression through art in many different ways. This project focuses on strengthening established arts education programs directed at youth-at-risk and building collaborations with schools, the juvenile justice system, parks and recreation programs, and other community-based organizations. The program can be viewed in three parts: academics, arts, and association. It is within these areas that the students are allowed to gain knowledge and understand how to use this knowledge to empower not only themselves, but also others, and lead a more productive life.

Top of Page

Employee Satisfaction of Needs through Employer Benefit Programs
Related to Life Balance and Organizational Commitment

Shelley I. Wycoff, B.A., Management
Matthew J. Wycoff, Psychology
Cohort 8 ~ 2002-2003
David X. Swenson, Ph.D.
Department of Management
The College of St. Scholastica

ABSTRACT

Lack of work-life balance is a common problem in the United States. Some employer benefits have the potential to help employees achieve a better work-life balance. It is hypothesized that employers can gain increased organizational commitment by offering these benefits; employees can gain increased life balance by using these benefits to meet their needs. However, often there is a difference between what employers perceive as employees' needs and what they actually are. Therefore, the benefits may not meet the needs of the employees and would have little to no benefit to either party. This study involved surveying 133 faculty and staff from a small private liberal arts college (32% response rate). The satisfaction of employees' needs with cafeteria plan benefits was compared with organizational commitment and life balance. On a Likert scale ranging from 1-7 (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree), employees were found to be "somewhat satisfied" with their benefits (M = 5.468, SD = .456). Significant correlations were found between specific benefits and work-life balance as well as organizational commitment. Overall, satisfaction of benefits compared to organizational commitment had a significant correlation (r (111) = .258, p < .01). However, satisfaction of benefits and life balance had a weak correlation that was not significant (r (111) = .167, p = > .05).

Top of Page