Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection

This paper outlines cumulative research on food deserts in relation to college students; namely, that there are communities classified as food deserts because significant numbers of the population lack access to grocery stores selling fresh produce or other goods normally called “healthy.” These areas are often also food swamps, or areas with intense access to sugar-dense, high-fat foods. Research as a whole suggests that three, among many, things might primarily drive food insecurity for individuals caught in these food deserts: lack of access to a personal vehicle, low income or prohibitively expensive healthy foods, and personal education or culture (Wright, 2016). College students both fit into the geographical food deserts and are individuals who tend to have a worrying level of food insecurity (Kim, 2018). It is costly to make adjustments to entire environments to rid communities of food desert qualities, and it is not always effective as ending food insecurity or malnutrition; instead, it can be much more effective to focus on individuals within communities and help push cultures into a better direction. This project demonstrates that ASU students are experiencing food dissatisfaction and are in a food desert worthy of attention and action, and that students are motivated to see a solution. The solution that the paper focuses on is a food delivery system of fresh produce and foods for students. 


The FIFA Men’s World Cup is returning to the United States for the first time since 1994 and will be the very first edition to host 48 teams, 80 total games, and have three host countries. The bid process for this edition of the World Cup is extremely complicated, and the final host cities for the United States are not yet known. What follows is a recommendation to FIFA on who the ten host cities from the United States should be in 2026. Based on the FIFA Bid Book that the bid from the United States, Canada, and Mexico sent to FIFA, along with additional research and surveys sent to fans, the final ten host cities from the United States should be Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York/New Jersey, Miami, Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and Baltimore/Washington DC. Further, it is shocking that the City of Phoenix did not submit a bid to host games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Following the recommendation of the final ten host cities, a potential bid for Phoenix to host the games is created that likely would have won the city the rights to host matches because of Phoenix’s high potential revenue, new stadium, and city location. Ultimately, if Phoenix would have sent this bid to FIFA, they would have an extremely strong case for hosting games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, fashion is defined as "the cultural construction of the embodied identity." (Steele 2012). Fashion is a complex subject that utilizes media to instill understanding and the significance of its products to consumers through advertisement. It is highly influential on consumers' behaviors and self-image. In this thesis, I provide the historical context of the fashion industry’s media channels that have shaped the perspective and importance of youthful physical features leading to a youth-centric market. It also examines the current practices and representation in media. The insights from this research provide an understanding of how ageism is prevalent in various forms of media and identifies the implications of the perception of older consumers.

The college experience is enlightening, empowering, educational, but can also be overwhelming and stressful. If one investigates the atmosphere at your standard university campus, there is no doubt that all students are exhausted in their own unique way. The various responsibilities and obligations inherent in the academic course load, student organizations, sports teams, and other extracurricular activities that a student commits to fosters this stress. A common pattern, especially among students, is the progression from stress to exhaustion to lack of motivation, or helplessness. The Mayo Clinic published an article stating: “when stress begins to accumulate from negative or challenging events in life that just keep coming, you can find yourself in a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained” (https://www.facebook.com/MayoClinicHealthSystem, 2020). That being said, the implementation of gamification in the college experience can significantly improve intrinsic motivation within students, thus reducing the stress and exhaustion. Gamification with regards to higher education is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts in order to engage and motivate learners. The primary purpose of gamification is to make learning more fun and interesting, as well as to increase learners’ engagement, motivation, and productivity. Video games and the concept of gamification in general have shown positive signs of relieved anxiety and increased enjoyment in many different aspects of life, such as education. The overarching goal of introducing gamification into the college environment is simple: To increase satisfaction, learning, participation, engagement, and retention among the student population.

Consumers have changed their purchasing preferences from only requiring a product or service be of quality and affordably priced to demanding the businesses that offer such products or services be socially responsible entities, as well. As corporate social responsibility endures to be regarded as a necessary business practice in the minds of consumers, brands must align their marketing strategies accordingly. Specifically, brands must use philanthropy as a selling point to attract consumers. Philanthropy serves the dual purpose of improving communities and, if done properly, creating a competitive context that businesses can use to their fiscal benefit. Cause marketing, in its simplest form, is the use of philanthropy by for-profit companies as a means of attracting clientele to increase sales. Through charitable involvement, for-profit companies can generate goodwill that in turn creates a positive public perception of their brand. By partnering with carefully selected charities and investing in charity-centric endeavors, companies can engage their customers and drive revenue while bettering their communities. From this standpoint, it behooves any business to engage in cause marketing initiatives as a means of attaining customers. This thesis articulates the value that cause marketing can add to a corporate portfolio, how community involvement can be parlayed into increased revenue, and why brands should invest in cause marketing tactics. A literature review was conducted, empirical information was collected and analyzed, and interview testimonials were used in defense of these claims. In conclusion, this thesis establishes statistical proof that cause marketing promotes sales by positively affecting consumer brand perception, a key factor in purchase consideration and purchasing decisions.