Diversity, Diverse Communities and AI Models

Chaired by Gina Sprint, Ph.D. (Gonzaga University

Teaching Kids with ASD social communication skills

Children with disabilities often have deficits in engaging in appropriate social behavior such as greetings, conversations, and maintaining friendships. These deficits can result in individual isolation or result in the occurrence of problem behavior as an alternative to gain attention from peers. This poster will discuss a review of literature that has shown to be effective at teaching social skills to individuals with disabilities

Building Belonging: Gonzaga Family Haven & Community Partnership in Action

This poster presentation highlights a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) partnership between Gonzaga University’s EDPE 307 Foundations in Sports Outreach course and Gonzaga Family Haven (GFH), an affordable housing community supported by Catholic Charities. Our project focuses on providing structured after-school physical activity programs for elementary and middle school children residing at GFH, while fostering leadership and reflective learning among undergraduate sport management students. Throughout the semester, students collaborated to design, implement, and adapt sports-based outreach sessions that emphasized inclusivity, teamwork, and positive youth development. This engagement not only offered children access to safe, active play but also provided meaningful, real-world experience for students, helping them recognize the broader social systems that shape communities in need. By integrating course content on social justice, diversity, and leadership with hands-on practice, students gained insight into how socioeconomic barriers and systemic inequalities affect access to sports and recreation. The project underscores how educational institutions can empower future professionals to become agents of change through community partnerships rooted in dignity, respect, and belonging. The poster will showcase program outcomes, reflections from both students and GFH participants, and a discussion of how CEL projects like this can advance education, diversity, and hope within marginalized communities

Bluetooth-Enabled Self-Measured Blood Pressure to Control Hypertension

BackgroundHypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, contributing to26% of annual U.S. deaths. Unreliable office-based blood pressure (BP) measurements have spurred the adoption of self-measured BP (SMBP). However, only half of adults aged fifty to eighty with hypertension regularly monitor their BP and share BP measurements with healthcare providers. Bluetooth-enabled SMBP (BT-SMBP) is a potential solution to promote at-home monitoring and information sharing. PurposeThe purpose of this project was to evaluate the use of BT-SMBP on the frequency of home BP measurement recording, timeliness of clinic response, and effect on BP, compared to SMBP using handwritten paper logs. MethodsThis project was a program evaluation using retrospective chart review to collect and compare data for statistical analysis. ResultsData from chart reviews of nine patients were analyzed to evaluate measurement frequency, clinic response times, and BP outcomes of both paper and BT logs. Descriptive statistics revealed the trend of improved BP across all patients with BT-SMBP, with notable differences in measurement frequency and clinic response times between the groups. ConclusionControlling hypertension is crucial to improving health outcomes. SMBP is considered more accurate than in-office BP, and BT-SMBP offers accuracy and convenience by automatically logging BP measurements and facilitating sharing of BP logs with clinicians. Successfully implemented BT-SMBP programs require standardized workflows, adequate staff capacity, technological integration, and strong patient and clinician engagement

A Program Evaluation of a Clinic’s Breast Cancer Screening Process

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer across all ethnic groups with 270,000 women in the U.S. diagnosed yearly (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023). Breast cancer is the second causative factor of death in women with mortality estimates greater than 42,000 annually. Screening and early referral is essential. Mammography is the gold standard for detecting early, non-palpable, and preventable cancers. Primary care clinics can impact screening efforts by creating policies and utilizing electronic health records (EHR) to identify, track, and notify adult female patients who meet recommendations for breast cancer screening (BCS). PurposeThe purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the use and satisfaction of the critical note header (CNH) and its impact on (BCS) rates. MethodsThis project was a program evaluation of screening rates pre- and post-CNH implementation in a primary care clinic using the CDC evaluation framework. Results/Findings: Use of the CNH, at an Eastern Washington clinic, had a significant effect (p=.02) in identifying females meeting eligibility recommendations for BCS. Screening rates increased 4.75% post-CNH implementation. ConclusionsRoutine BCS is critical in preventing or reducing a woman’s breast cancer risk, late-stage diagnosis, and the improvement of overall breast cancer morbidity and mortality rates. Utilization of the CNH electronic reminder was shown to improve BCS rates at this clinic, enhanced practice, and reduced missed screening opportunities

Ethics and Technology Persuasion

Chaired by Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D. (University of Notre Dame

AI in Education

Panel chaired by Erik Schmidt, Ph.D. (Gonzaga University

Data Labelling in Shaping AI Technologies

Chaired by Graham Morehead, Ph.D. (Gonzaga University

AI, Grief and Mourning

Chaired by Kirk Besmer, Ph.D. (Gonzaga University

Technology and Ethical Responsibility

Chaired by Anthony Fisher, Ph.D. (Gonzaga University