Equine Adaptability in Fashion Design Studio II and Advanced Fashion Technologies

The fashion department of O’More College of Architecture and Design at Belmont University partnered with Saddle Up! to create meaningful connections for the students enrolled in both programs. Saddle Up! provides opportunities for youth with disabilities to grow and develop through therapeutic, educational, and recreational experiences with horses. These equestrian students were paired with O’More fashion students to design and produce a customized riding uniform. The opportunity provided an experience for the fashion student to create adaptive garments for someone with special needs. The design process merged traditional methods of flat pattern drafting and draping together with advanced digital technologies. Not only were student designers able to iterate sustainably, vet concepts quickly and readily, and ensure a customized fit for the Saddle Up! students, but the digital process also allowed the students to share digital renderings of the designs with the equestrian students for approval before cutting any materials. Custom prints were created using graphic software and were then uploaded into 3D, producing photorealistic renders to show design concepts. The combination of traditional techniques with advanced technology created successful experiences for the fashion and equestrian students alike, making connections with the physical and digital realms, but even more importantly, making a new friend and helping them bring their ideas to life digitally and physically. The partnership is an example of how O’More College of Architecture and Design partners with underserved populations to develop diverse leaders of purpose, character, wisdom, and transformational mindset, eager and equipped to make the world a better place

The Impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act on Foreign Exchange and Financial Development of Sub-Saharan African Countries.

I will be presenting a poster with the research I have been working on with Dr. Cannonier for my Independent Honors Project. This research study is in economics and examines the Impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act on Foreign Exchange and Financial Development of Sub-Saharan African Countries. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a unilateral preferential trade development initiative for eligible Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, allowing for access to the United States markets since its enactment in 2000. This article analyzes the macroeconomic impact of AGOA on financial development and its role in the strength of SSA countries’ foreign exchange, a large factor in global relations between nations, yet one that has received minimal attention in academic literature. Using data from the World Bank during the period of 2000–2021, we estimate the impact using panel data analysis, factoring for eligible and ineligible countries, and controlling for both foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade from the SSA region to non-U.S. countries. We find that AGOA has contributed positively to the financial development of SSA countries increasing (GDP, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, employment, and cash flow) as compared to the data from non-eligible SSA countries. The findings reveal the resulting development attributed to AGOA, on average, has a significant impact on the strength of each eligible SSA nation’s currency as AGOA has positively affected the region’s trade. Our results from AGOA’s effectiveness in promoting a strong currency have important policy implications for non-eligible SSA countries to comply with the AGOA legislation to (further the intensification of African exports to the U.S. markets) or (become eligible as beneficiaries of the AGOA preferential trade access.

Analysis of the Tennessee Covenant Marriage

Most recent data from the World Population Review suggests that Tennessee’s divorce rate (3.3% per 1,000 people) is among the highest divorce rates in the country (2024). Although the country and state average rate has decreased in the past five years, many Tennesseans are concerned at the number of failed marriages. House Bill 0315, introduced by Republican Representative Gino Bulso, is a result of this growing concern. House Bill 0315, better known as the “Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act,” aims to strengthen Tennessee marriages by limiting divorce options for couples and requiring a premarital counseling course (Jenkins, 2025). Proponents of this act claim it’s the ultimate solution to Tennessee’s high divorce rates. However, they fail to see how this bill is harmful for multiple marginalized populations. The bill is based on the historically Christian assumption that the only “true” or “real” marriage is between one man and one woman. In order to have a covenant marriage, there must be a pairing of one man and one woman in a couple. By its own definition, this bill excludes queer marriage. Not only this, but it also makes it harder for a couple to divorce, making harmful or abusive relationships all the harder to leave. This paper discusses the negative impacts this bill would have if passed, and urges the reader to take action to vote against its passing

The Interplay of Self-Compassion, Loneliness, and Personality in Late Adolescent Eating Disorder Behaviors

Abstract Eating disorders are mental illnesses characterized by disturbances in eating and food-related behaviors, as well as disturbances in the experience of weight and shape (Smith et al., 2018). When considering eating disorders, it is important to understand possible influential factors such as self-compassion (i.e., showing empathy towards one’s own misfortunes and being understanding with oneself; Neff, 2003), loneliness (i.e., feeling alone or socially distant from others; Cacioppo et al., 2015), and co-rumination (i.e., dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings with friends in an intense way; Rudiger & Winstead, 2013). Adolescents who exhibit traits such as being female and having perfectionistic tendencies, low self-esteem, and difficulty managing emotions, in combination with societal pressures to be thin, are more vulnerable to disordered eating behaviors (Kreipe & Mou, 2009). This study aimed to examine how psychological factors such as neuroticism, self-compassion, loneliness, and co-rumination were related to eating disorder behaviors in late adolescents (aged 18-22; M = 20.38, SD = 1.36) diagnosed with eating disorders. Participants (N = 37) completed a survey in Qualtrics measuring self-compassion, loneliness, co-rumination, personality, and eating disordered behaviors. Results showed that bulimia-related behaviors did not have a significant relationship with self-compassion, r(35) = .17, p = .321, r2 = .03, and loneliness was not associated with drive for thinness, r(35) = .16, p = .338, r2 = .03, or co-rumination, r(35) = -.06, p = .730, r2 = .004. Neuroticism did not differ between individuals with anorexia nervosa and those without anorexia nervosa, t(35) = 0.33, p = .327 d = .11. It is important to understand how these psychological factors are impacting vulnerable populations due to the increasing rates of eating disorders

The Relationship Between the Facets of Extraversion and Exercise Habits

The majority of adults in the US do not meet recommended levels of physical activity (Wilson & Dishman 2014). Research suggests that there could be a link between these low levels of physical activity and poorer mental health. (Davis, et al 2021). Previous research has suggested that personality traits like extraversion, neuroticism, and (as defined by the Big Five Personality Traits) can have a moderating effect on the relationship of physical activity enjoyment and habit. The current study seeks to observe the relationship between the extraversion personality trait and exercise habits. Participants consisted of Belmont University students enrolled in Scientific Psychology, General Psychology, or Introduction to Psychological Science courses. Participants filled in a Qualtrics survey assessing their levels of gregariousness, assertiveness, excitement-seeking, and positive emotion (facets of extraversion), as well as their exercise habits (frequency, intensity, preference of group or individual activities, and reason for exercise motivation). We hypothesize that levels of gregariousness will positively correlate with preference of group-based activities, levels of assertiveness will positively correlate with a preference for higher intensity activities, levels of excitement-seeking will positively correlate with frequency of high intensity exercises, higher levels of positive emotion will be associated with exercising for enjoyment, and levels of extraversion overall will positively correlate with frequency of exercise. The implications of this study suggest that understanding your own personality can do more than affect your relationships, and knowing what works best for your personality may allow you to achieve greater fitness success

Unseen Dancers, Unheard Voices: Advocating For the Needs of an Underrepresented Population

At Belmont University, a liberal arts institution with a diverse student body pursuing disciplines like musical theatre, commercial music, and dance, there is a significant lack of proper rehearsal spaces—especially for dance. Students are often forced to practice in unsafe areas such as classrooms, basements, and carpeted floors. This project aims to raise awareness among students and administration to advocate for safe, dedicated rehearsal spaces for dancers. Our project execution had two phases. The first was a written proposal for a dance/studio space on campus. The second was a well-core “ Battle of the Dances” event to spread awareness for our cause. In addition, we held this event to showcase the diverse community of dancers that would benefit from this space. Our proposal was able to garner support from Belmont faculty through spreading awareness of the current need for safe dance spaces for learning students. Through our dance event, we were able to display a variety of dance styles and influence while highlighting the need for further investment in these young artists

Support, Self-efficacy, and Burnout in Teachers of Children with Special Needs

Students with disabilities tend to perform academically below their peers and so require the best quality of teacher that they can get (Brunsting et al., 2024). In general, students perform better when their teachers have higher self-efficacy (Mahmoodi et al., 2022), but teacher self-efficacy decreases when teaching children with disabilities (Guo et al., 2021). Additionally, teachers can experience burnout, which is associated with low self-efficacy (Brunsting et al., 2014) and poorer learning outcomes (Alqahtani et al., 2023). Both burnout and low self-efficacy have been linked to a lack of resources and struggles adapting to novel or unique teaching methods, which may indicate a relationship between teacher support, self-efficacy, and burnout (Brunsting et al., 2014; Cerbin-Koczorowska et al., 2023). This study analyzed how teacher support correlated with both teacher self-efficacy and burnout. This was an online study in which 113 teachers completed questions about school support, self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities, and burnout (specifically emotional exhaustion). We hypothesized that teacher support would be positively correlated with teacher self-efficacy and negatively correlated with teacher burnout/emotional exhaustion. Teacher support was positively correlated with teacher self-efficacy, r(111) = .34, p \u3c .001, r2 = .12. Teacher support was negatively correlated with burnout, r(112) = -.53, p \u3c .001, r2 = .28. Results suggest that teachers of students with disabilities may have higher self-efficacy levels and lower burnout levels when they receive greater support from their schools. These findings could have implications for how to maximize academic achievement for students with disabilities

Prospect Theory Among College Students

This study explores the application of prospect theory and decision-making among college students in regard to their academic performance. Prospect theory, originally developed by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in 1979, is an economic concept which tries to describe the way people will behave when given choices that involve probability. In particular, the theory assumes that individuals make decisions based on expectations of loss or gain from a relative position, causing loss aversion to be exhibited. To investigate the dynamics of the theory in a collegiate setting, an experiment will be conducted involving an anonymous survey distributed to college students. The survey presents them with hypothetical scenarios involving different academic standings and a choice between certain and probabilistic gains and losses to their final grade in a class. By examining the results of this survey, this study aims to reveal a deeper understanding of loss aversion and decision making among college students which may provide insight to those in the economic and educational fields