Theses and Dissertations
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Item Public Radio: The Role and Participation of the Local Community(1985-05) Cooper, Glenda B.This thesis is a critical analysis of public radio in the United States. Tne purpose of the study is to develop an informa tional tool that can be of service to any community in which a public radio station operates. Public radio must operate under guidelines established by Congress in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The most important of these is the requirement that the local station serve and reilect the needs and values of its community of listeners. Therefore, a public radio station can reach its full potential only when the entue community is allowed and encouraged to participate in its growth and development. Effective public participation can be signifcantly enhanced if information regarding public radio's limitations and potentials are made available to those persons seeking involvement. It has been the goal of this study to provide such information. An understanding of how public radio fits into the over-all scheme of the eati: e public broadcasting system is essential for determining its potential for service. An understanding of public radio's history is essential fo' making realistic predictions for its future. An understanding of how and why programming choices are made is essential for obtaining community support and guidance toward managerial decisions of program offerings. These are the elements of public radio this study emphasizes. Public radio's existence is dependent, to a large degree, on the amount of public support it generates. It is hoped that this paper can enhance public participation to a degree that will benefit the station, the licensee and the community.Item Action Alert: An Ongoing Program of Public Art Is Necessary and Possible in Shreveport.(1985-12) Nathan, Tama RippsThe decline of oil, gas and manufacturing revenues, the changes in expectations of minority groups, parish and city governments, and other changes have prompted differenc sec tors of our community to examine alternate ways for the city to prosper. The Belden-Daniels study, jointly sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and city government, targeted eco nomic solutions and stressed the need for involvement of all citizens if there was to be progress. The problem of many separate Shreveports was cited by the minister of our largest Baptist congregation in a much publicized and de bated sermon. Shreveport's possibilities can and should also be examined from the standpoint of the visual arts be cause a lack of aesthetic quality affects the sense we have of ourselves and the way we're seen by others. During my deliberation of possible areas of study for a final project, as a visual artist I thought of how Grand Rapids started to realize the possibilities of a public art program when in 1967, Henry Geldzahler, then director of the National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Program spoke at that local museum. On an introductory tour of Grand Rapids, which included an urban renewal site close to completion, he told his hostess about the new Art in Public Places grants, and noted that sites like the one they were viewing could be enhanced by its use. What catalyst could activate such possibilities here?Item Southwester Electric Power Company: The Source Behind the Switch(1985-12) Barkley, Eric S.This project is a look at the history of Southwestern Electric Power Company through the eyes of some of those who helped shape it. The purpose is to form a historical record of Southwestern from its beginnings through data research and by capturing the thoughts of those who were there.Item 90 More Hot Nights(1986-05) Pace, Judy A.A family gathers to celebrate the ninety-second birthday of the family's matriarch, who thinks she's turning 102 and is about to die. As the family comes together, each member has problems and conflicts to work through, bound by the parameters of the family. My final project is a play based on this premise. It is a regional work, utilizing Southern dialogue and a Southern setting. The play is prefaced by an introduction explaining the importance of drama in the development of thought and examining some of the characteristics of Southern literature. In a study of the humanities, the importance of both partaking of literature and putting words on paper cannot be overemphasized. Studying the development of thought, one sees how the writings of each age have contributed to man's enrichment. 90 More Hot Nights is intended to say something about life and how much can happen in the course of a day; it is intended to chronicle a part of the thought of the rural South in the 1980s.Item A Public Relations Approach to Alleviate the Teenage Drug Problem in Caddo Parish(1986-08) Ragsdale, Paula Warren"A Public Relations Approach to Alleviate the Teenage Drug Problem in Caddo Parish" By Ragsdale, Paula WarrenItem A Communications Program Toward Rectification of Child Abuse in the Shreveport/Bossier City Area(1986-12) Culligan, Rita CromwellThe thesis presented concentrates on providing a communications program to help alleviate child abuse in the Shreveport/Bossier City community. The development of the communications campaign centers around resources already found in the community. A critique of ineffective measures are presented as well as options which are viable. The first phase of the campaign involved data gathering through professiona1s who deal with abused children. This was done by the use of an instrument designed by the author for such purpose. Phone interviews and personal visits with professionals were also used. In the second phase a community plan of preventive action is developed. This phase consists of involvement of the media, local churches, educators, neighborhood organizations, and the medical community. The final phase of the communications campaign should be the evaluation of the campaign. Since the campaign cannot be initiated and accomplished by the author for the purposes of the study and no one else has ever initiated such a widespread community campaign only a comparison with smaller successful campaigns can be made. Based on the success level of those programs Significant reductions in child abuse should occur.Item A History Of The Egan Family With Emphasis On Dr. Bartholomew Egan And Dr. James Cronin Egan(LSU Shreveport, 1987) Wilson, Anne DierNo study of the history of North Louisiana would be complete without considering the Egan family, especially Dr. Bartholomew Egan (1795-1878) and his son, Dr. James C. Egan (1822-1911). The Egans were respected and honored for their wisdom, knowledge, and Judgment, not only in their chosen field of medicine, but also in politics and education. After receiving his degree from Trinity College, Dublin, Bartholomew migrated from Ireland to America in 1818. He lived in Virginia for over twenty years and during this time he was a principal at various classical academies throughout the state. Desiring to pursue medicine as a career, he attended lectures at the University of Virginia and after completing his course, practiced medicine in Virginia until he moved to Louisiana in In Louisiana, he helped found Mount Lebanon University and became its first president. He also helped organize and became the first president of the Northwestern Louisiana Medical Society in 1856. He was appointed by Governor Henry Watkins Allen to superintend the State Chemical Laboratory during the War Between the States. For many years Dr. James C. Egan practiced medicine in Louisiana and is credited with successfully performing one of the first Cesarean sections in the state. When the Civil War began, Egan volunteered his services as a physician to the Confederacy and during Reconstruction he was elected to the State Senate and helped pass the bill which re-established Louisiana State University. In 1876 he helped re-organize the Shreveport Medical Society and in 1878 was elected first president of the state society. He lived well into the 20th century and true to the progressive spirit of the time, Egan directed his undying energy to the improvement of public health. The lives of these two men exemplify the cultured, well-educated mind of the old South.Item The Role Of Camp Meetings In The Development Of Religion On The Red River Frontier(LSU Shreveport, 1987) Plummer, Marguerite ReynoldsThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of camp meeting revivalism in the development of religion on the Red River frontier. The focus of the study is directed toward the following specific aspects: (1) the camp meeting as a technique for evangelizing the populace and establishing churches in the frontier settlements; (2) the camp meeting as a determinant of religious practices and traditions of the Red River culture; (3) the camp meeting as progenitor of church-sponsored revivals and protracted meetings; and (4) the antebellum camp meeting as a prototype of the post-Civil war camp meeting revivals. The role of the camp meeting has been discussed in the context of the Great Revival of the early nineteenth century, also known as the Second Great Awakening. The Great Revival gave birth to the frontier camp meeting, which in turn served as a vital technique for Christianizing the frontiers as the United States of America expanded rapidly westward during the decades following the American Revolution. The Red River frontier represented the Western boundary of the nation during the period of 1830-1860, the period of settlement and development of the northwest corner of Louisiana, northeast Texas, and southwest Arkansas--the region commonly referred to as the Ark-La-Tex. The research consisted of both primary and secondary sources, and included books, journals, newspapers, periodicals, diaries, letters, archival collections, oral histories, interviews and field research. The conclusion that the frontier camp meeting played a significant role in the development of the religious beliefs and practices of the Red River culture was overwhelmingly supported by the data.Item While The Band Discoursed Sweet Airs: A Study Of Popular Music In The Social Life Of Shreveport, Louisiana, 1875-1900, With Reference To The N.S. Allen Music Collection(LSU Shreveport, 1987) Penn, Rachel T.This thesis deals with the relationship between social activity and popular music in Shreveport, Louisiana, during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Like most other Americans, Shreveporters preferred popular over classical music as a result of their initial exposure to folk music, traveling variety shows, and amateur participation in the arts. The aspects of social activity considered are music in the schools, the strong tradition of amateur participation in music, music and worship, social dancing, music in both amateur and professional theater performances, music in amateur and professional minstrel shows, and public events including band music. Vocal and instrumental music are considered. Shreveporters, like the majority of nineteenth century Americans, preferred the music that accompanied these social activities. This preference for popular, as opposed to classical, music reflects the importance of a social function tor music during the nineteenth century. Music and other cultural activities developed in Shreveport as part of a strong tradition of amateur proficiency in the arts. Training in the performing arts and in appropriate social behavior began early, both at home and in school. Playing music for and with others was an important part of the social and intellectual activity common to many. The social context for musical activity is established by reports and reviews from the local newspaper, the Shreveport Times. Specific titles of standard dance music are included in an appendix referring to the N.S. Allen Collection of nineteenth century housed in the Library Archives of Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Biographical information on Shreveport architect and bandmaster Nathaniel Sykes Allen provides a picture of one representative Shreveport musician. A sample program of nineteenth century songs and dance music is provided in an appendix including a cassette tape with program notes.Item An Oral History Of Vietnam Veterans In Shreveport And Bossier(LSU Shreveport, 1987) Bicknell, Mary DuettThe purpose of my study, An Oral History of Vietnam Veterans in Shreveport and Bossier, is to provide a historical record of the impressions that the war made on some veterans who live in the community. It has been approximately eleven years since the fall of Saigon in the face of the North Vietnamese onslaught, but we are just now able to analyze our role in the war effort and the effect it had on our veterans. Therefore it is hoped that my oral history project will give some insight that will help in understanding the war and the veterans who fought it.Item Impact of the European Migration of Italians to Shreveport, Louisiana from 1880 to 1930(LSU Shreveport, 1987) Leber, Lucy RichardsonThe purpose of this study is to examine the development of the Italian group in Shreveport during the period of foreign migration from 1880 to 1930 to an established community.Item The Psychology of Absurdist Literature(2013-05) Langley Jr, Preston L.This thesis will discuss Camus’ definition of the absurd and the importance of rebelling against it to provide meaning in a world filled with tragedy and suffering. In addition, Viktor Frankl’s psychoanalytic theory of logotherapy will be discussed as a method of rebelling against the absurdity of modern life, and will be used to provide a method of rebellion against the absurd in absurdist literature. In addition, this thesis will examine the treatment of suicide in absurd life as represented in three types of literature: Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus to illustrate the absurd in essays and other shorter works, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Play, and Endgame to illustrate the absurd in absurdist plays, and Albert Camus’ The Plague to illustrate the absurd in absurdist novels. This thesis will demonstrate how the absurdist treatment of suicide is depicted as depriving life of its meaning, and how by using logotherapy, suicide can be used to provide a meaning in life.Item Pre-Training Session Hydration Status in Adult Male and Female Athletes(2013-11) Coehoorn, Cory J.Athletes and coaches need to become more aware of athletes hydration status in order to maximize training potential and competitive performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate athletes pre-training hydration status and to determine if a relationship exists between the various measures of hydration status. Twenty-eight athletes (thirteen males, 21 [2.3] years of age; 15 females, 21.9 [3.0] years of age) who were actively training took part in this study. After following a pre-determined euhydration (EU) protocol the athletes were measured for hydration status using blood hematocrit (Hct), urine specific gravity (USG) and body weight (BWT). Subsequently, the athletes were randomly measured for hydration status prior to their training sessions (PT) on three different occasions. The mean EU Hct for males and females was 44.8% (3.3) and 39.7% (1.9), respectively. The mean PT Hct for males and females was 46.0% (3.0) and 40.4% (2.0), respectively. The mean EU USG for males and females was 1.017 (0.002) and 1.016 (0.004), respectively. The PT USG for males and females was 1.020 (0.006) and 1.017 (0.006), respectively. The mean EU BWT for males and females was 88.1 kg (8.5) and 66.8 kg (8.9), respectively. The mean PT BWT for males and females was 89.9 kg (7.9) and 67.1 kg (9.1), respectively. There was no significant difference between the EU and PT Hct by gender. Likewise no difference was found between the EU and PT USG for the females, however the USG (EU=1.017 [0.002], PT=1.020 [0.006]) of the males was significantly different between the EU and PT conditions. BWT increased from the EU to the PT conditions. This was contrary to the Hct and USG trend results. It is concluded that the diurnal differences of the athletes’ training times significantly affected the BWT and USG measures of hydration status more so than Hct. When controlled for time of day it was found that the athletes tend to be hypohydrated prior to training when measured for hydration status by Hct and USG. It is also concluded that a significant relationship exists between Hct and USG measures.Item The Effect of Service Learning on Medical Students’ Cultural Competence and Servant Leadership(2017) Rinaudo, Christi M.The healthcare system is facing enormous challenges due to increasing diversity of the patient population and a decline in the traditional physician values of altruism and compassion. As a result, schools of medicine have been challenged to preparing future physicians to attend these realities by integrating cultural competence and leadership training into the curriculum. Service learning represents a viable educational approach to enhance cultural competencies and servant leadership skills. Linking these concepts through an experiential activity offers a pedagogic solution for medical educators while reinforcing the underlying elements of medical professionalism. The current study examined the effect of participation in a service learning experience on medical students’ cultural competence and servant leadership behaviors. The study also sought to determine if gender, ethnicity, and medical specialty influenced students’ cultural competence and servant leadership behaviors. Data from the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Student Version (IAPCC-SV®) and Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) were collected from 101 fourth-year medical students who took part in a required service learning experience. The findings indicated that participation in service learning had a positive effect on medical students’ cultural competence and servant leadership behaviors. Results also showed that respondent’s ethnicity had a moderating effect on cultural competence scores, while servant leadership scores were influenced by participants’ medical specialty. Furthermore, the results revealed a positive correlation between cultural competence and servant leadership. The findings support service learning as an effective strategy for developing students’ altruism, compassion and commitment to serve the diverse populations they will encounter during clinical practice.Item Counterproductive Counterinsurgency: Lessons from the Misuse of Airpower in the American Vietnam Conflict and the United States’ Fight against ISIS(2017-05) Dean, Ashley E.America’s relationship with the world drastically changed after World War II. The fear of radicalism, namely communism, drew the United States into Vietnam, a conflict with no real resolution. Far-fetched justifications, unclear rules of engagement, and a tangled bureaucracy all made the American experience in Vietnam a strategic and tactical nightmare. Stagnant, World War II-era tactics plagues American foreign actions in Southeast Asia and do now in the fight against Islamist extremists in the Middle East and Africa. The lessons learned and ignored from the American Vietnam Conflict are more relevant today than ever. As U.S. military and political strategists look to the future in another seemingly endless war, it is prudent that they also look to the past to develop a winning strategy.Item Improving Patients Health Literacy in Understanding Prescription Medication Labels Using Patient Centered Drug Labels and a Teach-Back Approach(2017-08) Ali, Shamsideen O.Medication adherence is recognized as an essential self-care activity performed by patients to promote their health. Misunderstanding and incorrect comprehension of directions on medication labels are often associated with low literacy and limited English proficiency. Health literacy is a significant issue related to medication adherence and misunderstanding of prescription medication labels. In this patient-randomized study, mixed method (involving the mixing of qualitative and quantitative data) evaluations are used to analyze the effectiveness of the patient-centered label (PCL) and teach-back approach (TBA) in improving patients’ health literacy in understanding medication labels. This study compares PCL plus TBA to the standard medication label. The PCL arranges information on the label from a participant’s perspective, and TBA is a communication technique used to help participants remember and understand the important information regarding their diagnosis, treatment, and medication. TBA is a communication confirmation method adopted by health care provider to improve patient medication compliance. This technique involves asking if a participant understands the medication information as explained by their provider determining if they are able to accurately “teach-back” the information to their health-care provider. Study participants were randomly assigned into a control or treatment group. The control group was given regular standard medication labels (n = 43) and the treatment group received the PCL plus TBA (n = 30). Participants underwent individual oral interviews. Three specific questions determined the accuracy of the participant’s interpretation of medication labels. Participant responses were recorded and evaluated to formulate the study results. The results of this study indicate there was no difference between the control and the treatment groups. However, the data shows that standard medication label is more difficult for participants to understand their medication instructions (p = 0.001) and participants specifically found it difficult to interpret PRN medication instructions (p = 0.033). Overall, the study shows that the treatment intervention (PCL plus TBA) is useful to enhance patient compliance with prescribed medications, especially when the instructions are complex.Item Leader-Member Exchange and the Effect of Deaf Identity on Relationship Quality(2017-08) Hylan Jr, David W.Even though leaders and followers are both necessary and important to an organization, dominant hearing society weakens the leader-follower relationship by discouraging Deaf identity. The scope of this study was the leader-follower relationship and how Deaf identity can predict the quality of that relationship. The framework for this study was the Leader–Member Exchange theory. A sample comprised of 302 self-identified deaf individuals was administered the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS) to determine the level of their Deaf identity and the Leader-Member Exchange-7 (LMX-7) scale to rate their relationship with their leader. The research was guided by three questions. First, to what extent did participants endorse hearing acculturation items as compared to deaf acculturation items? The results of a paired-samples t-test indicated that participants scored significantly higher on the DASd than they did on the DASh; this indicated that they identify more as Deaf than as hearing. Second, to what extent does overall Deaf identity predict the workplace leader–follower relationship? The results of a Pearson r correlation analysis supported a significant positive correlation between the DAS score (Deaf identity) and theLMX-7 score (leader-member relationship). A linear regression analysis indicated Deaf identity was a significant predictor of the leader-member relationship and accounted for of the variance in the leader-member relationship. These findings showed that Deaf identity is a significant predictor of the leader member relationship as hypothesized. Third, to what extent does each of the subscale scores on the DAS predict the workplace leader-follower relationship? The multiple regression was significant. Of the predictors investigated, cultural involvement, cultural preferences, cultural knowledge, and language competence were significant. Cultural identification was not a significant predictor of LMX. LMX theory states that leaders should be respectful and construct trusting relationships with all members, acknowledging that each member is unique and desires a special relationship. For Deaf individuals that exchange is improved by a strong Deaf identity.Item The Military Empathy Myth: Exploring Diverse Counseling Barriers in the Armed Forces(2017-11) Dicks, Brenna M.The Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs require both diverse and culturally competent therapeutic approaches to produce effective mental health counseling for service members and veterans. To determine current levels of counseling efficacy, an anonymous online survey consisting of two quantitative health care satisfaction measurements and qualitative short answer questions was e-mailed directly to active military members and veterans to share their experiences and attitudes concerning mental health counseling. Several telephone interviews were also conducted to gain further insight into military and veteran impressions about therapy and military culture. Analyses of the online measurement concluded that rank, number of deployments, education level, and completion of mandatory counseling programs were major factors in influencing service member attitudes. Qualitative analyses yielded three domains of response and opinion: pervasive client dissatisfaction with treatment by a counseling provider, the importance of the military experience in establishing positive counseling rapport, and systemic barriers to treatment. Current findings confirm major blockades to developing effective therapeutic relationships yielding positive counseling experiences among service members and veterans. Keywords: military, mental health, veterans, counseling, military stigmaItem Experiences of Multiracial Female Leaders in Independent Schools(2018-05) Taufa‘asau, Julie Puanani VitantonioThis qualitative study examined the experiences of 11 multiracial female leaders in independent schools. Three qualitative methods were used to explore their experiences: in depth, semi-structured interviews; participant diaries; and the researcher’s field notebook. Two primary themes emerged from the data. The first: Multiracial females are uniquely positioned as leaders due to their ability to hold and consider multiple perspectives, being perceptive and good listeners, acting as bridges between groups, and building strong connections with diverse groups of people. The second: Independent schools currently are not designed to be supportive of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Participant observations and stories indicated that independent schools were shown to be a microcosm of the greater United States society preventing equity and inclusion from happening due to the cycle of socialization (Harro, 2013). Helms’s (1990) White racial identity development theory provides a possible framework for understanding independent schools. This study contributes to the literature on independent schools by providing a multiracial female leader’s perspective and to the literature on professional women of color in leadership as it adds the unique viewpoint of multiracial females.Item Exploring Personal Agency and Career Success of African American Female Leaders(2018-12) Burrell, TraceyThis constructivist grounded theory study explored the personal agency in African American female leaders of service organizations. Through qualitative methods of in-depth interviews, an open-ended questionnaire, and a summative focus group, the study documented the work and life experiences and career success of 20 African American female executives in K-12 education, higher education, nonprofit administration, medicine, and government. Three superordinate themes of environmental influence, career exposure, and career decision emerged as a model of personal agency for African American female leaders. Community systems of family, churches, and school shaped the personal and professional identity of African American females during their childhood. Individual factors of knowledge, attitude and behavior, and self concept impacted African American female adolescents’ development and career aspirations. Organizational systems extended support to African American females into young adulthood. Environmental influences generated three layers of career exposure for African American females: community, school-based, and personal. The career decision process of African American females involved the assessment of systemic influence, layers of exposure, and outcome expectations. The study yielded three implications that may help to address the underrepresentation of African American females in corporate structures. First, educational institutions must examine the early experience and performance of African American girls in academic settings. Second, community systems must collaborate to develop effective mentor mentee programs for African American young women that generate and maintain healthy career pipelines. Third, organizations must transform workplace environments into collectivist structures that support the development of African American female professionals.