Dean's Seminar Series

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a chronic illness that affects individuals globally, is underdiagnosed, and often poorly man- aged. Uncertainty is a phenomenon experienced by individuals diagnosed with chronic illness and is defined as the inability to determine the meaning of illness-related events. Experiencing uncertainty can lead to de- creased quality of life (QOL), delays in decision-making, and negative impacts on relationships.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine if individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis experience uncertainty and to determine the lived experience of individuals with osteoporosis. Mishel’s Uncer- tainty in Illness Theory was used as the theoretical framework.

Method: Participants completed The Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Communi- ty Form (MUIS-C) and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Health scale, and interviews utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fourteen Caucasian women who all had a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Results: Based on the two survey results, a significant negative correlation was found between levels of uncertainty and physical health status. For example, those with higher levels of uncertainty had lower physical health status. The qualitative study focused on describing the experience individuals had with the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Thematic analysis revealed five themes that could be chronologically pro- cessed: The Sentinel Event, Adapting to Chronic Disease, Navigating Uncertainty, Being Less Than, and What the Future Holds.

Conclusion: The findings of this study conclude that patients with osteoporosis experi- ence uncertainty. This finding can guide healthcare providers on how to share knowledge and education about the disease of osteoporosis with individuals. This inclusive approach is crucial for ensuring that preventive measures and management strategies are tailored to the diverse needs of all individuals, fostering equity and efficacy in osteoporosis care.

Abstract

Russian nationalism/Russian constructed from above and evolve through post-Soviet era to address needs of elite. In the beginning total cynicism reign supreme and it was related to the “Westernization.” “West” is the place where everything for sale. At the same time “Eurasianism” -the transmogrified Soviet ideolo- gy-compete with peculiar Westernism. Lately as conflict with both West and local Muslims increased it was replaced by “Byzantinism” and finally with the notion of “Russian world.”

Abstract

On the eve of the United States’ celebration of its 250th (semi-quincentennial) birthday, the American experiment with democracy seems to be unraveling. Race, one of the nation’s most persistent flash points, continues to be a fault line on which division resurfaces and on which democracy has consistently stumbled. The root cause of racial contestation, as this talk will argue, is that the United States has not been able to reconcile its founding explicitly as a nation by and for white people and their posterity, with the image of itself as a bastion of liberty and justice for all. By reframing the nation’s history through the lens of race, we must confront the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, the scope of Constitutional protections, the inclusiveness of national structures and institutions, and the narrative that defines our identity.

Abstract

Just as New Orleans is considered the birthplace of Jazz, the first Art Music in the United States arose in the Northeast (some might argue Boston). However, its development moved west, much like the westward ex- pansion of our country. How did Art Music develop in the Midwest? Who were the first piano teachers, the first music schools?

From the ashes of the Chicago Fire in 1871, a city of concert halls and skyscrapers grew, revealing a physi- cal and artistic transformation. During the Gilded Age, Chicago was striving for proof of artistic merit through the World’s Fair in 1893, into the early twentieth century with the opening of Orchestra Hall (1904). This presen- tation will explore how the music of Wagnerites morphed into “An American sound” within three generations of composers by presenting solo piano works by pianist-composers Arne Oldberg (1874-1962), Rudolph Ganz (1877-1972), John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951) and Howard Hanson (1896-1981).

Abstract

A century ago, the organic farming movement emerged as a remedy to the already apparent ills of the industrialized food system. Mission driven from the beginning, early pioneers advocated for methods that produced food while also caring for the health of the soil and community. Interest in the movement waxed and waned largely outside of the mainstream over the ensuing decades until the passage of the U.S. Organic Food Productions Act in 1990. Since, organic farming and food have increased rapidly. In 1997, organic food accounted for 3.6 billion in sales nationwide. By 2023, it was 70 billion. Predictably, this incredible growth was accompanied by a fissure in the organic farming movement. Today, the bulk of organic production now occurs on large, often corporate-owned farms where the primary goal is to produce large quantities of food cheaply and efficiently. In contrast, and likely in response to this corporatization, a growing and relatively diverse collection of local, small-scale farms that have ostensibly stayed true to early organic principles of environmental sustainability and social justice, have also emerged. This presentation explores the extent to which, so called “local food” adheres to this mission. Based on 30 interviews with small-scale farmers and other participants in the local food scene in Northwestern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan, I examined the economic, environmental, and social motivations that guide farmers’ growing and selling practices and inspired them to begin farming. My findings suggest that small-scale farmers are most often motivated by environmental and social principles. However, because of the need to be profitable to sustain their businesses, farmers must balance and compromise between sometimes competing goals, resulting in economic considerations often taking center stage. Further, I find that although environmental impacts are not a primary focus or motivation for all the farmers I spoke with, there is widespread agreement that ecologically-sound practices are widely employed and essential for the profitability of small-scale produce and livestock production.

Abstract

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) affects many cancer survivors and can disrupt memory, attention, communication, and daily functioning. Although speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are trained to address cognitive-communication disorders, clear practice guidance for CRCI care is limited. This study used a modified Delphi approach to identify areas of professional agreement in how clinicians assess and treat CRCI. In Round 1, experienced SLPs described current practices. Themes were then converted into structured survey items rated in Round 2 to evaluate agreement. Results showed strong alignment around patient-centered assessment, functional treatment goals, and strategy-based interventions, while preferences for specific assessment tools varied. These findings highlight emerging clinical consensus and support continued interdisciplinary efforts to improve care for cancer survivors experiencing cognitive changes.

Abstract

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