Recent Submissions

  • Tackling geographical healthcare inaccessibility through technological solutions: the creation of Bloom Policy

    Yilmaz, Julia (2023-12)
    Healthcare inaccessibility persists among rural communities due to multifaceted challenges, including geographical constraints, economic limitations, inadequate public transportation, sparse medical facilities, and complexities regarding health insurance. Bloom Policy serves as a source aiming to curate optimal health insurance solutions for individuals, families, and small businesses. Bloom Policy is a user-centric website built using Javascript, HTML, and CSS. The program features an interactive assessment tool, comprehensive drug coverage assistance, and possesses educational resources tailored for marketplace insurance consumers. By bridging the gap between rural populations and essential healthcare coverage, Bloom Policy strives to mitigate the barriers hindering access to quality healthcare services.
  • The illusion of belonging: EOP’s impact on sociocultural issues in education

    Stone, Lillian (2023-11)
    Economically disadvantaged and underrepresented students are taught to fend for themselves from their first day in the education system. Through dilapidated schools, unforgiving policies, and a lack of funding, they’re made to believe that they’re not as important as others, and their success isn’t cared for, contributing to the endless cycle of poverty. As these students enter into higher education, if they even can afford or decide to go, they’re often unprepared and overlooked. Comfortability and seamless transitions come through a sense of belonging to have a secure identity and a feeling of relatability. As much as universities may think they contribute positively to underrepresented and disadvantaged students’ sense of belonging, their efforts are usually ignorant and ill-informed, and the issue is systemic. New York’s Educational Opportunity Program aims to increase graduation rates, college readiness, and educational attainment among students who are admitted. Their impact has improved the lives of these students and helped them feel like they belong in the college or university setting, but it has its faults, as seen through survey research at SUNY New Paltz. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done regarding policies, systemic sociocultural issues, and opportunity programs, but the program’s success has showed us what truly works for students and how we can help them to continue to strive to achieve their goals in the future. Keywords: Social justice, higher education, racism, poverty, belonging, academic success, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
  • One morning fair

    Stuhr, Elias (2023-12)
    What I have written is hopefully a relatable story about anyone. Myself and everyone else I know spend a lot of time inside our own heads, and that's kind of what this one's about. I hope that what I have done here is not strange or surreal and I hope that it is not disturbing, because that would be against the point. What I hope this story does for the reader is just the feeling that they have been understood, if just for a brief moment. By way of introduction, this is a story about two people–Ruth and Jed–and their attempts at trying to get along with one another. In the story I also mention Arthel, Mallory, Dalton, Leslie, and Gary and Geraldine. They are important too. So are Mandy and Jenna. That's just about everybody.
  • Time perception embodied: the effect of yogic posture and meditation on retrospective time estimations

    Cullen, Emily (2023-12)
    The current study aims to integrate models of embodied and cognitive time perception by investigating the role of attention allocation, physiological arousal, and arm length on retrospective time estimations. We operationalize attention through an open monitoring meditation and physiological arousal through expansive and contractive yogic postures. Arm length was analyzed as a covariate. Participants (N=60) reported estimated time spent on a brief attention task after either listening to music or meditating and the adoption of an expansive or contractive yogic posture. We found that the expansive posture lengthened time estimations in comparison to the contractive posture, and that this effect was accentuated for individuals with longer arms. No significance was found for the effect of meditation on retrospective time estimations. Interactive effects of posture and arm length feed into embodied models of time perception, emphasizing the idea that our spatial relationship to the external world directly influences our internal perceptions.
  • Dot: a novel in progress

    Russo, Emily (2023-12)
  • Corpus Ex Machina: a biomechanically collaborative exploration of the corporeal fantasies of artificial intelligence: MFA Thesis - Painting & Drawing

    Tjernlund, Anna (2023-12)
    This collaborative project with artificial intelligence (AI) began as a playful curiosity about AI text-to-image generators, namely Midjourney. Artificial intelligence represents a broad field of computer science focused on creating intelligent machines capable of mimicking human cognitive functions. Within the field of AI, generative artificial intelligence specializes in generating content, such as images or text, often based on given prompts or patterns. Two noteworthy examples within this domain – and the resources I used for my research – are ChatGPT and MidJourney. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a powerful language model that generates contextually relevant text responses based on textual input. Its capabilities extend to engaging in conversations, answering queries, and even providing creative outputs. MidJourney, on the other hand, is a text-to-image generator that transforms textual prompts into visual representations. As part of my artistic exploration, I engaged with both ChatGPT and MidJourney, tapping into their capabilities to collaborate on the creation of thought-provoking and visually compelling works that push the boundaries of human-machine interaction and artistic expression.
  • Nothing to do with reverence

    Siegelski, Steven (2023-12)
  • Towards a compassionate rhetoric: a Buddhist & feminist exploration of substance abuse

    Couch-Tellefsen, Skylar (2023-12)
    This essay is a proposal for compassionate rhetoric, and an inquiry into compassion as a rhetorical way of being. Compassionate rhetoric is best understood as a set of human behaviors that one develops and practices to construct and reflect one’s transient identity with the world through action, even if the action is ‘not-doing.’ Founded on both feminist and Buddhist schools of thought, compassionate rhetoric consists of the following practices: (1) cultivating the beginner’s mind; (2) recognizing the similarities in our differences; and (3) the acceptance of contradiction. Inspired by Sonja K. Foss and Cindy L. Griffin’s “Beyond Persuasion: A Proposal for an Invitational Rhetoric,” compassionate rhetoric relies on their explication of invitational rhetoric as the foundational rhetorical theory for compassionate communication.
  • Gravetender

    Acevedo, Lily (2023-12)
  • Students experiences of navigating college with a disability

    Pullar, Jessica (2023-09)
    The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory analysis of the experiences of students with disabilities in college. Participants (N=26) were SUNY New Paltz students aged 18-54, who identified as having a disability. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted on Zoom, in person, and through an online typed version of the questionnaire. The Postsecondary Student Survey of Disability-Related Stigma (SSDRS) was completed online before completing the interview. To gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a student with a disability attending a post-secondary institute, participants were asked to talk about their experiences. Additionally, participants were asked different questions based on whether they were registered with the Disability Resource Center. Three themes were identified as the most prominent: the importance of accessibility, accommodations (the good and the bad); and the struggle with faculty to receive accommodations. Overall, participants felt a lack of accessibility on campus and had issues acquiring accommodations. Participants also noted that there seemed to be some stigma on campus. Participants were overwhelmingly interested in a self-advocacy class. Findings were discussed in light of recent scholarship.
  • Queer coffee hour

    Alexander, John (2023-05)
    Queer Coffee Hour was born out of a thirst for connection in New Paltz and on the planet at large. The project aims to fit a need I’ve been observing for my entire life, which is the deterioration of that same once impenetrable LGBTQ+ community. By facilitating relationship building and creating a space for queer students to come together, share interests, and meet new people, I believe we can bring back the strong queer community we once had. And what better way to break the ice than over a cup of coffee?
  • The relationship between basic need fulfillment and prosocial behavior: the moderating role of culture

    John, Aaron (2023-08)
    We explored the relationship between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) and prosocial behavior. We also investigated how this relationship may differ between cultural groups. We administered an online survey to participants in the U.S. and India using Amazon Mechanical Turk. This survey included a measure of basic psychological need fulfillment (Van der Kaap-Deeder et al., 2020), self- construal as an individual-level marker for cultural differences (Singelis, 1994) and a four-item measure of prosocial intentions (Baumsteiger & Siegel, 2019). We hypothesized that satisfaction of the basic needs would predict increased prosocial intentions. Keywords: prosocial behavior, basic psychological needs, self-construal, culture.
  • Fractured horizon: MFA Thesis - Photography and Related Media

    Uliyanova, Viktorsha (2023-08)
    Memory is a fragile thread that holds together the tapestry of history and culture. My work explores the collapse of the Soviet experiment, political repression, and trauma that pervades families and the nation. Through textured multiples, video, and alternative processes, I build a portal to memories that have been suppressed by the Soviet regime. In engaging with archives, I investigate the blind spots in history and contextualize the way the present and the future are reflected in the past.
  • Lived experiences of music therapist-mothers: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

    Ellks , Amy M. (2023-05)
    The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis was to learn more about how music therapist-parents experience their dual roles, how these roles might influence one another, and to identify key issues associated with successfully maintaining them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three practicing music therapist-parents, in which participants shared their experiences of their dual roles. The results of these interviews suggest that the roles of music therapist and parent are intertwined and reciprocally influential; both deepening and enriching one another, but also introducing conflict and complication. A total of 11 themes emerged from the data. Themes surrounding the effects on parenting included a) mindful musical parenting, b) strengths-based resource-oriented parenting, c) socially aware parenting, and d) use of therapeutic skill and knowledge in the parenting role. Themes related to effects on the therapist role included a) strengthening of the therapist-client relationship, b) increased perspective and empathy for the client experience, and c) use of parenting skill and knowledge in the clinical space. Themes related to the challenges of managing dual roles included a) logistical challenges, b) financial challenges, c) psychological challenges, and d) ethical challenges.
  • Intimate exchanges: MFA Thesis - Printmaking

    Cooper, Bear (2023-08)
    Intimate Exchanges represents the culmination of a journey from embodied material investigation to devotional artmaking as a refuge for the body. This project has its origins in my research of phenomenology, ritual theory, and queer intimacy. The action of touch is central both to acts of intimacy as well as the field of phenomenology which promotes embodied perception. Some creative mediums have a greater intimacy of touch in the process of their making and for me, printmaking is one of those mediums. After a brief introduction to natural dyes, I was pulled in by their potential for embodied investigation and created a methodology to turn my body and its movements into the printing mechanism, further enhancing the embodiment of printmaking.
  • Take a breath: MFA Thesis - Sculpture

    Fortenberry, Michael (2023-08)
    Take a Breath is a series of interactive artworks designed for the participants' slow and mindful, somatic engagement. Each sculpture is made to ground the audience in the now, to override the strain, pace, and overwhelm of 21st century life. These objects hold thoughtful consideration to the way they receive the human body, an invitation for an extended, healing embrace. Other sculptures can be carefully rolled from one point of stability to the next, every resting position activating a new sound pulled from tones and patterns of nature. These moving sonic sculptures are interlinked. When activated simultaneously each one alters a single soundscape, unifying the collective. I see these calming works as offering a space of resistance to the trauma of overstimulation and the political, environmental, and social instability of our current moment. Wood is a constant collaborator in my work, it holds the memories and teachings of its lived experience.
  • Networking amongst student activists within school communities

    Wong, Jade (2023-05)
    Student activism has a long precedented history with youth mobilizing to enact social change, especially within college campuses. Networking is a vital part of activist work and demonstrates its prominence within college communities, making it a significant aspect of student activism. The purpose of this study is to explore how networking within school communities affects student activist efforts. Within the study, 6 student activists were interviewed from the SUNY New Paltz campus. Using qualitative thematic analysis, seven different themes emerged focusing on classroom environments/faculty, previous experiences with activism, COVID-19, clubs/school organizations, alumni relations, online communities, and issues with school bureaucracy. Networking was proven to be a valuable aspect of achieving student activist goals and efforts. Further testing is recommended to expand institutional research, and demographics include race, ethnic background, gender, and age. The fine-tuning of questions during interviews is also highly encouraged in order to ensure more precise answers.
  • Play as a tool for humanitarian workers in countries experiencing chronic crisis

    Similton, Oliver (2023-05)
    Most humanitarian aid work focuses on the short-term needs of communities in crisis. Though extremely useful, this immediate care does little for communities after humanitarian workers leave the affected community. A major area of this is seen in is the psychological well-being of community members. People in countries of crisis - and chronic crisis especially - are often left completely traumatized by the events they experience. This trauma especially in young children results in dysregulation of the nervous system and are often left with “compromised social engagement, proximity seeking, and either underdeveloped or hyperdeveloped behaviors relating to their attempts to remain safe in dangerous circumstances” (Lohrsbe & Ogden, 2017). However, co-regulation of the nervous system has been reported to help this dysregulation. Co-regulation refers to the ability of our brain, as a social organ, to understand the needs of an individual based on actions seen in others
  • The impact of United States’ food systems on nutrition and childhood development

    Segal, Anna (2023-05)
    This thesis will examine the United States current agricultural system and how it affects vulnerable populations of children. This study will discuss the importance of nutrition and how it affects the development of children. More specifically, it will examine how nutrition affects vulnerable populations such as children with special needs and those who live in marginalized areas. All developing children, especially vulnerable populations of them, need adequate nutrition to help them succeed as individuals. This will look at ways we can improve our agricultural system and transition to a more sustainable framework. Solutions are available and can be guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which the public and private sector can follow. Keywords: Environmental Studies, Childhood Development, Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness, Nutrition, Marginalized Communities

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