Creating Awareness About Traumatic Brain Injuries

College of Professional Studies

The focus of my project was to address the lack of knowledge pertaining to Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and to let locals know. This included Bear River Rancheria, Eureka Police Department, Making Headway Center, and some other local locations. Pamphlets were dispersed with information regarding TBIs and were culturally appropriate for whichever population that they were dispersed to.

Creativity and Mood in Cannabis Using College Students

College of Professional Studies

This study examines the relationship between cannabis use (infrequent, moderate, and heavy use) and one’s mood (neutral, positive, and negative) on creativity, which is scored by the Alternative Use Task (AUT) and the Creative Achievement Questionnaire (CAQ).

Critical Education and the Future Educator

College of Professional Studies

Taking a deeper look at teacher preparation programs (including our own) and finding the amount of exposure teacher candidates are given in regards to multicultural education, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and critical frameworks, and finding better ways to serve the youth in our K-12 schools. By checking our own biases, and exploring deeper into the world of education, including its racists and heteronormative structures, we take a closer look, and find some solutions to better support the community, and most importantly, the whole child.

Critical Multicultural Literacy for Social Justice

College of Professional Studies

This case study took place in a diverse school setting. We implemented critical multicultural literature to 3rd and 4th graders. Our question is: How do students respond to critical multicultural pedagogy and literature? We used dialogue journals, literature circles, critical dialogue, and art to build community and raise consciousness. We found that the single story approach is prevalent in schools and that multiple stories have fostered an understanding and empathy towards the diversity of struggles people face in this world. In conclusion, critical multicultural literature helps build community and empower students to be able to make changes in their community.

Cultural Awareness and Education for Military and Veteran Population

College of Professional Studies

Current literature indicates the number of Veterans entering higher education is rapidly growing due to the reduction of military size and the availability of financial support through the Post-9/11 GI bill (Lang, et al., 2013; McBain, et al., 2012). Research shows the challenges student Veterans face can be reduced significantly when colleges incorporate support programs specific to student Veterans and provide training about military culture to faculty and staff (Bosari, et al, 2017; Osborne, 2014). The intention of this project was to increase awareness to the presence of military culture on the HSU campus through a training presentation.

Cultural Starvation: Out of the Ashes We Rise

College of Professional Studies

The beginnings of the HC Black Music and Arts Association, a National Association of Negro Musician Humboldt County Chapter came from starvation for Black traditions, foods, values, and connections. Through open dialogue, I had the opportunity to listen to different narratives on people’s experience since moving to Humboldt County. Based on the assessment, I learned many people of color were experiencing feelings of cultural shock and isolation. Definition: Cultural starvation happens when there is no link to Black culture, traditions, or food. The lack of Black awareness, holidays, gathering, and spiritual settings can be mentally taxing on one’s soul.

Culturally-Informed Interventions for Self-Harm in Indian Country

Elizabeth Caplan, School of Applied Health Undergraduate Student

College of Professional Studies

The suicide rate for young Indigenous men is 2x-4x higher than for other demographic groups. Causes include cultural disruption, historical trauma, grief, and health and social inequities. Prevention of self-harm is a core responsibility of healthcare. A rural clinic serving Indigenous people will implement a Zero Suicide Framework with input from local tribal members. Community members will help develop risk assessments, quality of life surveys, and the facilitation of participation in traditional cultural activities. This will protect by strengthening of belonging, connection, strong spirituality and physical health, and relationship within the community and with the natural world.

Culturally-Relevant End of Life Care in Humboldt County

Chandler Macik, Social Work Graduate Student

College of Professional Studies

The purpose of our community project is to explore and assess whether any formalized local Indigenous palliative & hospice care services and resources exist in Humboldt County. Research was conducted to gauge the availability and accessibility of culturally-relevant end of life care services.

Cut It Out: Reducing Cesarean Section Rates in Low - Risk First - Time Mothers

College of Professional Studies

Cesarean section rates have increased 7-fold from 1965 (4.5%) and are now the nation’s most common operating – room procedure. One in five deliveries is by C – section according to the World Health Organization. A Healthy People 2030 goal, is to reduce this number to 23.6% or less, in low risk, first - time mothers. On my local unit, C - sections hit an all time high and a change is needed to better maternal child outcomes. This projects examines causes for the increase and strategies aimed at reducing the rate, using evidence based practice interventions. The proposed interventions will be targeted at the patient, nursing, and policy level.

Deconstructing political morale: The development of the political demoralization scale (PDS)

College of Professional Studies

Minimal research combines the dimensions of political morale to develop a scale that broadly measures political demoralization. Political demoralization can be described as experienced discontentment and distress within the current political system, wherein some people may feel powerless to enact change. (Clark & Kissane, 2002). The current study is the development of a scale of political demoralization, which tests its relationship between political hopelessness, political efficacy and social desirability. Analyses of the PDS demonstrate the scale's reliability and validity.