Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2025, Music

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the world of performing arts, bringing challenges and disruptions to the lives of musicians and other artists. This thesis delves into the world of performance anxiety post-pandemic, aiming to understand both the positive and negative effects of the crisis on performing artists, with a particular focus on musicians. Through a combination of literature review and in-person interviews, the research explores the multifaceted impacts of the pandemic on performers' mental and physical health, their experiences with remote learning, social and financial challenges, and the development of performance anxiety. The methodology involves conducting in-depth interviews with three individuals involved in performing arts, analyzing their insights, and comparing them with existing literature to draw meaningful conclusions. The findings reveal the complexities of navigating the performing arts landscape during and after the pandemic, highlighting themes of resilience, adaptation, and personal growth during adversity. Ultimately, this thesis highlights the importance of supporting performing artists as they continue to overcome the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, fostering a resilient and inclusive artistic community.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

COVID-19 changed how faculty members approached teaching in higher education in the United States. This study specifically looks at the changes in faculty-student interaction (FSI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. While extensive literature exists on the topic from the student perspective, the disruption in education necessitated a more extensive study of the faculty perspective. A multiple-case study methodology was employed to explore the experiences of a small cohort of faculty members at a single institution and how they fostered positive interactions with students from Spring 2019 through Spring 2023. The data collected included semi-structured interviews, course syllabi, teaching philosophies, and a pre-interview questionnaire with demographic data. The findings revealed that faculty initially faced hurdles engaging with students but swiftly devised strategies to adapt. Their approaches primarily emerged from internet searches and conversations with other faculty in their communities of practice. Additionally, faculty members who taught prior to the pandemic used their prior teaching experience but also credited having access to course materials designed for online learning as a strategy for positive interaction. Finally, returning to in-person teaching with social restrictions presented significant challenges in comparison to teaching online. A key implication for practice is requiring faculty to teach asynchronous courses periodically to ensure familiarity with best practices for online learning and access to updated teaching materials. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2025, Health Programs

This quantitative study examines nationwide mental health service utilization trends from 2018 to 2022, spanning pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. This research utilizes a convenience sample of 33,906 participants to study and track fluctuations in mental health diagnoses and treatment engagement across diverse demographic and geographic populations. Key variables include age, regional distribution, and specific mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Findings highlight significant shifts in access to and use of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing disparities based on socioeconomic and geographic factors. Notably, the top three mental health diagnoses account for approximately 65% of the total CMS mental health budget, which itself represents around 12% of CMS's total healthcare expenditures. Medicaid alone spends an estimated $27.6 billion annually on mental health treatments, with anxiety, depression, and PTSD comprising a substantial share of these costs. Research suggests that Medicaid beneficiaries with PTSD incur 4.2% higher healthcare costs compared to those with major depressive disorder, further emphasizing the financial burden of untreated mental health conditions. This study contributes to understanding how large-scale disruptions impact mental health service engagement and informs future policy and resource allocation to improve mental health accessibility nationwide.

Bachelor of Science of Journalism (BSJ), Ohio University, 2025, Journalism

A Queersome Perspective is a five episode limited podcast series that examines the evolution of queerness through the lens of heteronormative media in the scope of reality television over the past three decades, weaving together sociological theory, personal storytelling, and interviews with fans, contestants, and queer individuals who have touched reality TV in some capacity to prove how queer representation in digital media showcases where society's acceptances of queerness begin and end at any given time period in the Digital Age. This project is more than a podcast; it is has become a creative outlet that I have poured my inquiries into as a fan of reality television, pop culture, and the reflections that can be drawn through the people it constitutes by the very society it draws from. The series offers an accessible yet academically grounded exploration of how queer representation in media has transformed societal perceptions, shaped identities, and navigated the challenges of heteronormativity. Welcome to my thesis; please sit back and relax as you delve into a mindset that shifts our focus to the agreement that every space one enters today is built on the construct of heteronormativity. I recommend driving as it forces you to disconnect from a deceive such as a phone and allow you to visualize the conversations and the anecdotes in your head. Drawing on sociological concepts such as Erving Goffman's theory of "life as a performance" in a heteronormative world, the narration unpacks how queer individuals have used reality television to express their identities and challenge societal norms. The timeline begins with the activism of the HIV/AIDS crisis and movements such as “Silence = Death.” It traces the rise of queer icons such as RuPaul Charles, and the cultural significance of reality competition shows such as The Real World, Survivor, Queer Eye for The Straight Guy, and RuPaul's Drag Race. Each episode interrogates how these platforms have acted as s (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Ohio University, 2025, Film

The Church of the Eternal Flame is a feature-length horror screenplay that follows an isolated Christian community's spiral into a cult as they become ground zero for an infectious parasite. The accompanying paper, The Church of the Eternal Flame: A Reflection on the Fear That Shaped Me, is an examination of the relationships between the fundamentalist Christian church, disability studies, and horror cinema. It reflects on zombie and vampire media in relation to the COVID-19 and AIDS pandemics, and the ways that our culture makes monsters of the sick. The paper also serves as a reflection on the screenplay writing process, detailing inspirations and the evolution of story and craft.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Teachers are committed to meeting the individual needs of their students, and despite challenges such as a lack of preparedness and formal training, they rose to the occasion and adapted to provide remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributes to the existing literature on the impact of COVID-19 on students, with a specific focus on those identified with special needs. As a survey-based research study, it aimed to gather insights from educators regarding their efforts to provide remote instruction for these students using Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The results of the study indicate that there were no significant associations between remote learning and grading leniency or student outcomes nor between systemic inequities (e.g., digital divide) and student outcomes. The application of UDL principles, based on reported training levels, showed no significant associate with modified teaching approaches or student outcomes. Additionally, UDL's impact on diverse learners did not yield significant improvements in academic outcomes. Lastly, while teachers reported mixed perceptions of their efficacy during and post-pandemic, no significant statistical associations were found. Overall, while educators adapted and responded to the challenges, the study found limited statistical significance regarding academic outcomes.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 0, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

In March 2020, virtually overnight, in-person interactions shifted to online or other remote realms due to the governor of California's lock-down orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the need for mental health services including psychotherapy skyrocketed. Psychologists in California met this overwhelming demand by adapting to the challenges of the moment and embracing teletherapy, a relatively new mode of therapy for most practitioners at that time. Many studies were launched to capture real-time data about mental health workers' shift to providing remote and online services; however, most of these studies were focused on practitioners' experiences in June 2020 or later and did not look specifically at psychologists in the state of California and their experiences in March 2020. To address this gap in the literature, this research study looked into the effects on California psychologists of the rapid pivot from in-person to teletherapy in March 2020. Using an online survey, quantitative data and short answers were collected from 34 psychologists who practiced teletherapy in California at the start of the pandemic. Summary data showed that most psychologists were unprepared for the switch to teletherapy, practitioners faced unforeseen technological challenges (e.g., lack of training and technological support), and although most psychologists reported increased stress during this time, the majority reported satisfaction with their ability to help people reach their therapy goals via teletherapy, and the therapeutic alliance in their view was not affected by limitations in nonverbal communication. These findings supported those of previous studies in the literature; for example, Mittal et al.'s (2023) conclusion that many mental health providers demonstrated resilience and satisfaction with their work in the face of both negative and positive consequences of the rapid shift to teletherapy at the start of the pandemic. This dissertation is avai (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2024, Health Programs

This study involved a qualitative phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of burnout among hospital supply chain managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 caused the disruption of healthcare services and increased burnout symptoms among healthcare workers. Several burnout studies have been conducted since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the immense impact the pandemic has had on healthcare workers. The number of burnout studies is growing; however, the literature indicated a gap in research focusing on hospital supply chain managers related to COVID-19 burnout. The participants in this study represented a nonclinical segment that had direct involvement and response to unprecedented demands, supply disruption for PPE, and critical medical equipment and supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants' lived experiences were documented through interviews that were transcribed, coded, and then organized into themes. The overall aim was to gain a new understanding of the emotional experiences of burnout and how burnout symptoms affect different levels of healthcare workers. Specifically, in this study, the personal experiences of this group with the three burnout symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of efficacy were documented. Findings from this study provided new insights into the burnout symptoms that healthcare executives and leaders can use to contribute to a greater knowledge of long-term impacts and create strategies for burnout mitigation among healthcare workers.

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences, Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Graduate Studies in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

During times of pandemic, it is imperative that public health agencies be prepared to launch an immediate and effective response to lessen the morbidity and mortality that usually accompanies these events. Historically, the doctrine of federalism has cleared the way to allow each state to respond independent of a unified national response. It suggests that in modern times a more unified public health approach might provide more successful outcomes. Historically, federalism has shown to be an effective form of government in most instances and to abandon it based solely on observed weaknesses associated with public health emergency response would be short-sighted. Using qualitative research methods, this dissertation examined the effectiveness of this federalist approach on past public health emergencies and most recently its success when applied to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this study investigated the concept of mandatory national accreditation of local public health jurisdictions (LPHJs) as a substitute for federalism. Could national accreditation provide the means of assuring that all health authorities across the nation, but especially at the local health jurisdiction level, be unified in their overall response efforts? Allowing an accrediting body, such as the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) to set standards that must be achieved and protocols that must be followed by all health districts nationwide in all aspects of public health delivery, including public health emergency response could provide the needed continuity between states that federalism disrupts. A quantitative study using a Likert survey was also a part of this dissertation. This survey, distributed to 113 Ohio health commissioners (response rate 40.70%), solicited opinions related to federalism, COVID-19, and national accreditation. It used the data to offer conclusions on the possible unification of public health response to pandemics and other public health emergencies. Moreover (open full item for complete abstract)

MA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread effects on many aspects of well-being, including psychological distress. For particularly vulnerable populations, such as college students, the pandemic has presented unique challenges and coping responses. This study uses a Stress Process Model to examine the relationship between COVID-related stressors and psychological well-being among college students. Using data from a Northeast Ohio university's survey (N=7,248), the study employs three separate regression models to examine the mediating effects of psychosocial resources (perceived social support) on psychological distress, substance use and flourishing. Preliminary findings suggest the pandemic significantly impacted students' mental health, with substance use varying among demographic and psychological distress categories. The study contributes valuable insights into the effects of COVID-related stress on student populations while incorporating aspects of positive well-being, informing future research and intervention strategies.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic that took the world by storm in 2020 had a large-scale effect not only on the world, but also on the field of education. Most educational systems were not equipped to address the needs of the students, families, faculty, staff, and community as they related to education. This study explores the administrative response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Surveys, document reviews, and semi-structured interviews are utilized to understand the varied responses to the pandemic, particularly in the area of support systems. This qualitative phenomenological narrative study explores how school leaders describe how they demonstrated resourcefulness, resiliency, and responsiveness to maintain effective post-pandemic student support systems including financing increased staffing and resource needs, implementing remediation processes to avoid student learning loss, and addressing outside factors that affected student learning. The gathered data indicates a need for both creation and maintenance of comprehensive student support systems. The results of this study should encourage administrators to develop robust contingency plans and flexible policies that can adapt to the changing academic and mental health needs of educational landscapes, should they arise.

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

The purpose of this study was to bring awareness to the many roles schools play in the lives of young people, their families, and their community. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the surface the need for people of the community to cooperate and care for one another. This qualitative research study will add to the school district's knowledge and understanding that the impact of social-emotional teaching and learning greatly affect students' success in school. Additionally, a student's connection to school and academic learning can enhance their educational experience. Both students' and teachers' experiences around collaboration also amplify their engagement and motivation to succeed. Two focus groups, one of teachers and one of students, were administered to collect the qualitative data. The results of their testimony were reviewed, and the data revealed the need for an action plan that invites all members of the school neighborhood to participate in social events and workshops, thereby creating a community in practice that centers and uplifts students so they may find even more value in the educational experience

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled a re-examination of residential architecture, by exposing its deficiencies in protecting residents from the spread of infectious diseases. As people were forced to stay at home during lockdowns, issues with contemporary housing design were brought to the forefront, calling for a reassessment of current design strategies. This paper explores the vulnerabilities of current residential spaces that have been exposed by recent pandemics and explores the necessary implications for post-pandemic housing design. Drawing on insights from individuals abiding the quarantine measures and observations of post-pandemic trauma, this research identifies key areas for intervention and improvement. Using a case study approach, his thesis will examine innovative architectural solutions employed by architects Moshe Safdie, Riken Yamamoto, Steven Holl, and others. These case studies serve as sources of inspiration for developing strategies to enhance the overall sustainability and adaptability of residential environments in the face of future health crises. By summarizing the findings from the case studies and considering local laws and restrictions and density constraints, this research proposes a new framework for residential design pertaining to an urban metro. Emphasizing flexibility, sustainability, and human-centricity, the proposed design aims to address the evolving needs of residents while making it sustainable for future pandemic like situations. Through this focused exploration, this paper seeks to contribute to the advancement of social housing, providing possible design interventions to create safer, healthier living environments in the post-pandemic era.

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Biological Sciences

Student success, defined broadly by a student's academic achievement and retention, can be impacted by a number of internal and external factors. One factor is a student's sense of community in the classroom. At BGSU, the sense of community within the classroom was positively impacted by the implementation of a learning assistant (LA) program. Sloan (2020) found that students in LA classrooms had an increased sense of community based on classroom community subscale scores. My research continued to follow student performance and success within LA classes and their correlation with identifiers and scores of classroom community, with a focus on the impact of the corona virus pandemic on the student classroom community. My study considered 4,066 student surveys from introductory STEM courses taught with undergraduate LAs at Bowling Green State University before, during, and after the onset of the corona virus pandemic. Student survey results were paired with sociodemographic data provided by the Bowling Green State University academic affairs office. These data tracked students by race, sex, retention status, and housing in their respective courses The complexity of this data set required a flexible and robust analysis strategy. To this end, I applied principles of disturbance ecology, where in changes in variance over time are considered. This strategy considered multiple factors; here, applied to understand the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cohort resistance, resilience, and recovery to the pandemic. Changes in the distribution of student scores of classroom community for both subscales between pre-pandemic and post- corona virus pandemic periods were evident. The data indicated an increase in the percentage of failing students in these courses. Sociodemographic differences iii were noted, with specific groups having experienced higher fail rates and more changes in their classroom community scale questionnaires. Specifically, students that reported as whit (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Counselor Education & Supervision

This exploratory study aimed to understand the experience of mothers in higher education both during the COVID-19 pandemic and toward the end of restrictions. The population included academic mothers with children at home during the pandemic. Data was analyzed thematically by a team of researchers. The results generated six themes: (a) life changed suddenly, (b) remote work, school, and life, (c) unsupported, (d) sense of control, (e) support, and (f) positive aspects of COVID. These findings are important to the field of mental health counseling profession, supervision, and higher education because of the circumstances exemplified by the pandemic that highlight the necessary structures and support needed for academic mothers to succeed. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2024, Higher Education (Education)

Quantitative data was collected from 926 traditional-aged postsecondary students, of which most (69%) respondents were upperclassmen in their junior or senior year of college. The findings from this overall research indicate that there has been a shift in how today's Generation Z learners view online and hybrid learning and their ideal way to take college classes. Over half (61%) of the research participants reported hybrid course format as their most ideal way of taking college courses. In addition, the results confirmed that students who engage in positivity practices are generally happier individuals, and there was a positive relationship identified between the status of happiness in students who preferred the hybrid learning method. Finally, when comparing the status of sense of belonging in college students, the research results uncovered a strong association between students' campus involvement and sense of belonging levels. Developing flexible learning cultures, as well as promoting consistent practices of positivity methods and encouraging active campus involvement, are factors associated with higher levels of overall well-being (subjective happiness and sense of belonging) that can lead to healthier student populations, greater academic success, increased retention, and higher graduation rates.

Bachelor of Arts, Walsh University, 2024, Honors

The pandemic of 2020 greatly altered society, but it primarily changed the working world and the expectations of employees. The pandemic resulted in several trends surrounding hybrid and remote working conditions, the demand for a shortened workweek, and an emphasis on mental health. This study focused on those trends specifically. A survey was sent out to juniors and seniors at Walsh studying business. A second survey was sent out to business leaders who have or currently do provide internships to Walsh business students. The results of these surveys revealed that both students and business leaders favor hybrid working conditions over fully remote working conditions. Both students and employers value mental health and actively want to be in/provide work environments that emphasize this. The survey sent to students demonstrated that students actively want to seek out a four-day workweek, but the survey sent to business leaders revealed that they are not willing to provide this. This study focused on identifying the gaps and similarities between what future employees want and what employers are willing to provide. The study identified two similarities and one major gap that will affect the future of the American workforce.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2024, Health Education

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was a very stressful time for people all around the world. However, university and college students faced extra challenges such as having their education moved online whereas some students who lived on campus were forced to move away. Furthermore, international students faced even more challenges such as the possibility of leaving the country due to the shift to online education, maintaining their student status, traveling to and from their home countries, as well as financial concerns. Asian international students, in particular, also faced additional challenges pertaining to discrimination and safety due to the rumors of the origins of the COVID-19 virus. All college students also had to face challenges pertaining to loneliness as social distancing measures and the closure of college campuses affected the socialization of college students. As such, the presence of these stressors would have necessitated more coping skills. According to the transactional model of stress and coping, when individuals are unable to change the problem using problem-focused coping strategies, they may utilize emotion-focused coping strategies to help them feel better about the stressors. The use of alcohol has been reported to have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there have been inconsistent findings regarding alcohol use among college students. Undoubtedly, these stressors would have also affected the mental health of college students. Similarly, there are mixed findings on mental health outcomes between domestic and international students. Furthermore, there have been no qualitative studies, to date, of the experiences of Asian international students in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, two studies were conducted to better understand all of the above-mentioned concerns. Study one was conducted to compare domestic and international students and to examine (i) the prevalence of loneliness, alcohol use, anxiety, depression, and (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic thoroughly disrupted the U.S. food supply chain, ushered in a new set of social norms, and reoriented how individuals interacted with each other. A need to find how severely these phenomena changed during and since the pandemic continues to exist. Existing literature suggests significant shifts in social norms and social exchange occurred because of the pandemic. But a gap in research exists in understanding the nuances of these shifts and their continued alterations. This study sought to understand food purchasing behavior changes during the pandemic and how social exchange and adherence to pandemic-time social norms were valued. This study also created a comprehensive chart creating a timeline through the pandemic of how social exchange and social norms shifted through the pandemic. Through this study, an investigation of food purchasing trends and experiences from before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted. To examine social exchange and social norms, a non-experimental quantitative study was conducted using Social Exchange Theory and Social Norms as guides. A convenience sample of 419 primary U.S. household food purchasers was taken via online survey offered on Amazon's Mechanical Turk service. The results of this study indicate a significant relationship between time during the pandemic and adherence to social norms and willingness and desire of social exchange. Findings of this study suggest the pandemic caused temporary higher adherence to social norms and an eventual drop in social exchange. This study supported SN and SET through its findings of social norms adherence and social exchange changes in relation to social norms. Further research of the relationship between SET and SN during the pandemic and other crises should be conducted.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, English

This dissertation project is focused on a narrative medicine approach to the comics written during the pre-vaccine period of COVID-19. By analyzing these texts from a narratological perspective, informed also by various approaches in comics studies, its aim is to identify the affordances of the comic medium in order to understand its efficacy when artists choose to utilize it. The selected narratives range from fictional narratives, autobiographical accounts from “frontline workers” at the height of the pandemic, and comics utilizing reportage and informative style of writing. The goal for this project is to learn as much from the selected stories as possible in order to identify its applications towards COVID-19 and pandemic discourse, potentially contributing insight into surviving a pandemic.