Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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- All Subjects: Supply Chain
- All Subjects: College students
Description
This study explores the topic of the birth control use of college women, and the factors that influence their decision of whether or not to use contraception consistently. A literature review was performed on Academic Search Premier, SocIndex, Women's Studies International, Pubmed, CINAHL, and ICRW. Interviews were conducted with 7 participants recruited through convenience sampling. The results suggest that low perception of risk, lack of access, and alcohol use are all major influences on women's decisions regarding birth control. A review of current policy was also completed, and potential policy changes are suggested in order to improve college women's consistent contraceptive use.
ContributorsMorehouse, Brittany Anne (Author) / Weitz, Rose (Thesis director) / Durfee, Alesha (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to explore if any correlation exists between the proposed components of happiness with overall self-perceived happiness. This thesis also explores how introversion and extraversion, gender, and working status affects the proposed components of happiness for college students and how their happiness influences engagement, motivation, preference of organizational culture, and the activities that they engage in. This research was gathered from secondary sources and a survey that was given to undergraduate students at Arizona State University. We found that well-being, gratitude, achievement, psychological empowerment, and affection contribute to both extraverts and introverts' happiness. In addition, we found that extraverts reported higher means than introverts in each factor; including happiness in general and what contributes to it. Contrary to popular belief, our research shows that autonomy either had no correlation or negatively correlates with happiness. In addition, we found that both extraverts and introverts participate in social and nonsocial activities rather than solely on their expected type of activity. Our research also shows that females reported higher means than males on gratitude, achievement, and autonomy. One significant implication of this study is that it can help individuals to better understand themselves and people they interact with.
ContributorsVasquez, Delia (Co-author) / Lopez, Miguel (Co-author) / LePine, Marcie (Thesis director) / Arce, Alma (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
My thesis combines two different perspectives. The first is supply chain management, and the second is volunteering. The inspiration for this topic came from Joy Field's seminar titled "Job Design and Work Allocation for Volunteers in Nonprofit Organizations." My thesis differs from her seminar because I decided to expand her topic to include all types of organizations, not just non-profits. The idea of relating supply chain and volunteering is appealing because I believe getting the most out of each volunteer's experience and those on the receiving end is very important. Additionally, her seminar appealed to me because I have volunteered before and it relates to my major of supply chain management. Volunteer management relates to supply chain management from an operations perspective. A common objective within supply chain operations is maximizing productivity, resources, and value. Mismanaging people can lead to an increased amount of waste in the form of money, time, and resources. That is why it is important to get the most out of the entire experience in order for both the volunteers and the organization to achieve the most benefit. The purpose of this paper is to describe best practices in volunteer management for organizations to consider. I will explore three phases of the volunteer management process: before, during, and after. Additionally, I will provide a personal volunteer experience and assess its effectiveness. My source material consisted of various research articles and journals, and the end result will be an outline of recommendations for organizations to utilize when using volunteers.
ContributorsCohen, Joshua (Author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Sandell, Paul (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Purpose: This thesis studies the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies directed towards college students in the interest of acquiring the best talent for internships and full-time career opportunities after graduation. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an understanding about what current students respond to when it comes to efforts companies make to recruit for employment and then to provide suggestions to improve recruitment strategies. Methodology: In addition to research of existing literature, a survey was given to students at Arizona State University, in order to determine students' reactions to recruitment strategies used by companies. Differences in reactions will be examined by talent, as well as position, gender, school of discipline, and age. Findings: Through the research conducted, I found that personalized efforts are not necessarily always preferred by students. Mass efforts, such as career fairs and job postings, hold a lot of weight and influence in a decision. Two personalized recruitment efforts that should be noted are interaction with the HR team and direct emails. Reputation also plays a significant part in the recruitment of students on campus. Establishing a well-known and liked reputation within the different areas of reputation is vital to the recruitment of students.
ContributorsHoeck, Sarah Rose (Author) / LePine, Marcie (Thesis director) / Harthun, Jyll (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Over the past two decades, the fashion industry has evolved to both create and respond to the consumer's demand for fast fashion, the industry of inexpensive clothing produced at high rates to respond to changing consumer trends. As fast fashion grew in popularity, the new standard of the industry was to create and manufacture every other week, producing continual new trends for a market designed for continual consumption. As the garments being produced were made for short life-spans, textile waste began to grow and the fashion industry was named the second largest pollutant in the world next to oil. Coming out of a market saturated with clothing, a new trend focused around sustainability and reuse has emerged: the resale market. With increased awareness for sustainability, circular fashion business models have emerged from a more linear and disposable supply chain. By focusing on environmental, social, and financial aspects of a supply chain, otherwise known as the triple bottom line, we discuss how second-hand shopping should be managed to satisfy customer shopping expectations.
The creative project of this thesis showcases various wardrobes that have solely been purchased second-hand. The purpose of the creative presentation is to show that no matter one’s style preference, occupation, or age, second hand shopping can appeal to every type of customer. Second hand shopping is not only for “thrifty” millennials, it it for everyone, and can encompass anyone’s clothing needs.
The creative project of this thesis showcases various wardrobes that have solely been purchased second-hand. The purpose of the creative presentation is to show that no matter one’s style preference, occupation, or age, second hand shopping can appeal to every type of customer. Second hand shopping is not only for “thrifty” millennials, it it for everyone, and can encompass anyone’s clothing needs.
ContributorsToomb, Sophia Mikaela (Author) / Sewell, Dennita (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
For the Supply Chain Management Alternative Thesis, I was required to attend 4 research seminars. After attending all four seminars, I wrote a summary for each one and then did my own research on a subject from one of the seminars. I selected the lecture from Mahyar Eftekhar to do more research on due to my passion of humanitarian work. The lecture delivered by Mahyar Eftekhar on September 27th, 2018 there was a question being asked, “How to improve service delivery, considering the peculiar characteristics of humanitarian supply chains?”. This question can either cost a company a lot of money or save it a lot of money. The problem is how do you reduce risk for a supply chain in humanitarian work? The objective of my research is to find different solutions on risk mitigation for humanitarian organizations and how to bring down costs for the supply chains that these organizations have. Risk mitigation can be difficult for events that happen randomly, but there are ways to help reduce risk. Reducing risk is key to humanitarian supply chains because it can save money for companies that have financial restrictions. Humanitarian supply chains are much different from typical supply chains, due to what is at stake. These supply chains cannot fail, because if they do lives will be put in danger. Disasters can happen at any moment and can range from all different types. Being prepared for the worst case scenario is important in humanitarian efforts in order to bring down costs and save lives.
ContributorsDominguez, Brady (Author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Oke, Adegoke (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly have co-morbid psychiatric symptoms which can decrease quality of life. Although many adults with ASD are achieving greater independence, including attending college, psychiatric symptoms are generally not well controlled in this group. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program that has successfully been used to reduce the stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms in many clinical and non-clinical groups and may also be effective for college-aged students with ASD. The present investigation assessed the demand, practicality, implementation, adaptation, and acceptability of an MBSR course for college students with ASD. A total of 22 participants completed the questionnaire containing 53 questions and were between the ages of 18 to 64. We found that the MBSR therapy is in high demand for individuals with ASD, and that the participants would be willingly complete the intervention techniques. Participants generally stated that a therapy course like MBSR may help reduce their symptoms, and that they were eager to enroll. Participants were willing to attend all 8 classes during the summer, with a preference for afternoons. Also, modifications including yoga and background music would be accepted by each participant as well as any additional modifications made to the course to meet the needs of the individuals with ASD. Next steps include enrolling and randomizing students into the MBSR course or control group, as well as collect pre- and post-intervention data. We hypothesize MBSR will reduce the psychiatric symptoms and stress levels of individuals in college with ASD, demonstrating its effectiveness in this vulnerable population.
ContributorsJones, Rachel Michelle (Author) / Braden, Blair (Thesis director) / Baxter, Leslie (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The development of safe and effective vaccines has been one of the greatest public achievements of the 20th century. However, there is still considerable public debate about the relative health costs and benefits of vaccines, and the information and misinformation spread through these debates can have a direct impact on vaccination and whether or not herd immunity will continue in the United States for different diseases. To understand perceptions of vaccine risks and effectiveness among young adults in the U.S., this study describes Arizona State University students' perceptions of the harms and benefits of vaccines. A preliminary free list (n=30) identified what vaccines ASU college students were most likely to recall spontaneously. The six vaccines most commonly mentioned by ASU students were: influenza (flu), chickenpox, HPV, polio, MMR, and smallpox. Using these top six vaccines, we then developed a second survey about the knowledge and perceptions of each of these vaccines and vaccines as a whole. We found that students generally perceived vaccines as safe and important to their health, but they maintained an overall lack of understanding of how vaccines work and what they protect against. While this study is only a preliminary investigation into the perceptions of ASU college students on six commonly mentioned vaccines, this could lead to investigations on how to educate and promote the usage of vaccines to college students.
ContributorsGilson, Jacob (Co-author) / Sutton, Carly (Co-author) / Hruschka, Daniel (Thesis director) / Ruth, Alissa (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Background Osteoporosis is a major health problem that can occur in people of all ages. It can stem from poor bone health during childhood and adolescence. It hinders independent living, impacts social living, reduces participation in physical activity, and increases risk of fractures and physical pain. In addition to age, gender, race, physical activity and diet, sleep is considered to be a risk factor in the development of osteoporosis in both the young and elderly population. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, a bone formation biomarker was measured to determine osteoporotic risk while an actigraphy device was used to measure sleep efficiency in college students. Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between sleep efficiency and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase levels. Recognition of any association may help in understanding how sleep is related to bone health. Methods Twenty-seven participants were recruited with the use of flyers distributed on campus and in residential halls, social media, email, and student newsletters. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase biomarker was measured using human specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sleep data were collected from participants who wore ActiWatch for 7 days and completed a 7-night sleep diary. Linear and multiple regression analysis were performed to evaluate association between B-ALP (outcome) and sleep efficiency while adjusting for covariates (age, BMI, race, gender). Results and Conclusions Overall, there was no significant association between sleep efficiency and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. Gender, however, showed a significant influence on the levels of bone-alkaline phosphatase. This is supported by a study that found higher bone turnover marker in males than in females. The result from the study could be due to limitations such as small sample size. More participants may provide a better comparison or association between variables. Genetic factors are believed to influence the outcome of the study as genetics can influence rate of bone loss or formation. Findings may be beneficial for public health and policy initiatives and allow health / nutrition educators to more adequately encourage proper habits such as physical activity, healthy diet and sufficient sleep for good bone health.
ContributorsLadipo, Evelyn Irawola (Author) / Whisner, Corrie (Thesis director) / Mahmood, Tara (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The purpose of this study is to assess the factors that motivate and influence 18-24-year-olds, compared to those of other age groups, to volunteer, specifically in local hospitals. Volunteers play an integral role towards sustaining nonprofit organizations (NPOs). For this reason, volunteers have the potential to impact the success and effectiveness of local NPOs including nonprofit hospitals such as Banner Health, Mayo Clinic, and HonorHealth. These hospitals rely on the services provided by volunteers to help facilitate their patient care and achieve their missions. An important component of the hospitals’ volunteer programs must focus on the recruitment and retention of volunteers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, volunteer rates are lowest among 20-24-year-olds. Since most college students encompass the 18-24 age range, understanding the factors that motivate and influence them could indicate why there is a low number of hospital volunteers in this age group. ASU students were surveyed regarding their volunteer history, volunteer motivations, and volunteer constraints. Their responses were compared to survey results from local hospital volunteers to look for significant differences or similarities which are highlighted in this study. A total of 183 ASU students between the ages of 18 and 24 completed the survey, and 58 of those students identified as a prior or current hospital volunteer. Three ASU students participated in a focus group. Out of the five Arizona nonprofit hospitals contacted, only one participated in the study. Banner Thunderbird Medical Center (BTMC) had 34 active hospital volunteers complete the survey. The BTMC volunteers who participated in the study were between 14 and 83 years old with the most common age being 69 years old.
ContributorsFasani, Sophia Maria (Author) / Wang, Lili (Thesis director) / Lyons-Mayer, Michelle (Committee member) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05