Ashley Wilson

Ashley Wilson (she/her) has been the Social Sciences Librarian at San Diego State University since 2021. She received her MLIS from The University of Alabama in 2017. Ashley also has a BA in history and an MA in anthropology. At SDSU, she is the subject liaison to 5 academic departments where she supports undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral students. Her research interests are trauma-informed pedagogy, barriers for DEIA, and experiences of student assistants in academic libraries.https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/irdlconference-committee/1013/thumbnail.jp

Assessment of Miami-Dade County Environmentally Endangered Lands Located Within or Adjacent to Miami-Dade County Parks

Public interactions with urban forests can be a contentious issue and, in many cases, the protection of resources takes a backseat to stakeholders’ desire to use areas in ways that diminish the capability to manage resources and causes unintended consequences or direct impacts to sensitive resources. The assessment of impacts to sensitive forested areas located in parks was part of a Miami-Dade County legislative directive to provide enhanced guidelines for the protection of natural habitats. The assessment detailed historical and current issues at 18 environmental preserves located in or adjacent to the County’s park system and an implementation strategy for the County Mayor’s recommended “do no harm” framework that sensitive habitat comes first

Double Happiness

After her adult son’s untimely death, a grieving mother seeks out a bride to die for so she can give him the perfect Chinese ghost wedding

Examination of How Integrating Ethnic Studies and the Transformative Student Voice Framework in a Voice-Based Program Reinvigorated a Sense of Community on a Middle School Campus

The middle school of study seeks to develop leaders in this world. However, the traditional oracy curricula and voice-based program the school originally adopted sought to develop students as future employees. Consequently, the problem at hand was how to connect the oracy curriculum to the principles of social justice to actualize the school’s mission. This qualitative study explored lessons from educators who have taught a voice-based course in an in-person and virtual environment. Specifically looking at the decisions middle school educators considered when integrating transformative student voice and ethnic studies into a voice-based course. From the lessons, decisions, and perspectives of the participants, the study outlined the essential training and resources needed to effectively integrate transformative student voice and ethnic studies into a voice-based course. The dissertation study primarily reviewed semistructured mid and post interviews and combined the data with supplemental classroom observations and limited curriculum review for a thorough examination of the findings. The findings indicated a significant impact on student voice and increases in student awareness and consciousness. In addition, the findings support the need for the middle school community to continue to engage in collaborative conversations and on-going professional development surrounding the best ways to teach students in a voice-based course through the integrated use of the transformative student voice framework and ethnic studies

The Potential to Be the Most Historic Higher Education Reform Effort of Our Time: Implementation of AB705

The Potential to Be the Most Historic Higher Education Reform Effort of Our Time: Implementation of AB705 As a result of California Assembly Bill 705(AB705, 2017) and California Assembly Bill 1705 (AB1705, 2021), most 1st-year students will enroll directly into transfer level math and/or English courses (Baca, 2021; Lopez, 2022; Melguizo et al., 2022; Sims, 2020). Students once placed into remedial coursework before enrolling in transfer level coursework may need more student support services to ensure course completion and retention (Atkins & Beggs, 2017; Baca, 2021; Cook, 2016; Lopez, 2022; Melguizo et al., 2022; Sims, 2020). The recent implementation of AB705 allows for community colleges to redesign pedagogical practices and restructure student support to address equity gaps and promote student success (Sims, 2020). Prior to AB705, remedial math and English course sequences were often gatekeepers that prevented students of color from completing their educational goals (Bailey, 2015; Bailey et al., 2013; Bragg et al., 2019; McClenney, 2019). As colleges move toward full compliance of AB705 and AB1705, colleges should have a comprehensive understanding of faculty members’ experiences as they implement reform efforts. Faculty perceptions of how the legislation has impacted student equity and success outcomes can inform continued, reiterative, and intentional improvements to reform initiatives. This qualitative study used semistructured interviews of English faculty members to examine if AB705 served as a catalyst for transformative change across academic and student support structures at community colleges. This study uncovered reform recommendations and best practices colleges can implement as they redesign educational support structures at their colleges

Cultivating Resilience in Adolescence: How Educational Environments Can Support Positive Youth Development During Identity Exploration

Adolescence is a critical stage of human development, one that can be especially challenging for teens that are navigating certain vulnerabilities in their identity formation. With the World Health Organization stating that 14% of 10–19 year-olds experience mental health conditions, educational environments are increasingly needed to address mental concerns in their curriculums. This qualitative research project used a combination of art based inquiry and narrative analysis to answer the following question, “How can educational environments promote resilience and positive youth development during adolescent identity exploration?” Findings illuminated several emergent themes that culminated in the following four recommendations for educational environments; 1) Integrate opportunities for creative self-expression in general education spaces, 2) Professional development for educators to integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL), 3) Create opportunities for social interactions between students and educators, 4) Create and support opportunities for social interactions between students, and 5) Ensure educational spaces include mental health support for students

From Bible to Ballot Box: Church Attendance and Political Participation 2008-2020

The relationship between religiosity and political participation is a core topic of interest in American Politics. However, political scientists have not as fully explored how attendance of religious services impacts political participation across the twenty-first century across the four major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. This research examines how church attendance is associated with political participation across time from 2008 to 2020 disaggregating across African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and White Americans. I develop and test three hypotheses about the impact of the church on political participation over time depending on specific social and political contexts: The Church Demobilization, Stability, and Mobilization Hypothesis. Then, I conduct logistic regressions to analyze this relationship using four waves of the Cooperative Election Study (CES) between 2008 and 2020. I find support for my Church Mobilization Hypothesis, as church attendance’s impact on voter turnout increased substantially for Whites, Blacks, and Asian Americans - especially in 2020. Churches were even more politicized given events surrounding racial justice movements and mobilized their congregants to the ballot box, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. I also find that the impact of the church over time depends on the specific mode of political action assessed. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to understand how context conditions impact church attendance on political participation and further unpack how race structures this relationship over time

The Cycle of Representation in the Film Industry

This thesis is directed towards the world of Post-Production. Interested in expanding my knowledge of the editing techniques and conventions of the drama and horror genres, I worked on one Undergraduate and one Graduate thesis project. In editing these two films, I gained a greater insight into the importance of collaboration, time management, and attention to detail. I honed my skills and strengthened my voice as an editor. In addition to gaining hands-on experience, I also conducted research on the representation of women in behind-the-scenes roles in the film industry. Through the Capstone Course, I completed a well-rounded thesis that both supported and expanded upon the knowledge gained throughout my education in SFTV and the Honors Program. The Graduate thesis coming-of-age horror short film, Mother of Mercy, written by Nicole Lloyd, tells the story of a teenage girl who witnesses a horrific cult ritual during her Catholic high school retreat. This was a satisfying editing process as I balanced lighthearted, coming-of-age scenes with the tense and horrifying undertones of the film. The Undergraduate project directed by William Dobak, Stray Dogs, is a slice-of-life drama short film following a young unhoused girl who wishes to go to an amusement park. The editing process taught me how to prioritize emotion and tone to create a character-driven film. For both films, I created Post-Production schedules, met with the filmmakers to refine each cut, collaborated with sound mixers and composers to world-build through sound, and led the final delivery process

Media Industries in Crisis: What COVID Unmasked

This edited volume offers a global overview of the immediate impacts the COVID pandemic had on local and national film, television, streaming, and social media industries—examining in compelling detail how these industries managed the crisis. With accounts from the frontlines, Media Industries in Crisis provides readers with a stakeholder framework, management lessons, and urgent commentaries to unpack the nature of crisis management and communications. The authors show how these industries have not only survived, but often thrive amidst a backdrop of critical national and regional emergencies, wars, financial meltdowns, and climate disasters. This international collection—featuring case studies from 16 countries—examines how media industries managed all of these crises, successfully rebranding themselves as “essential” while making power plays in politics, economics, and culture. The chapters reveal key lessons for the meltdowns, tectonic shifts, and struggles ahead. This collection will be of interest to media and communication students, particularly those focused on media industries, crisis communications, and management, as well as to practitioners working in media industries