California State University, Monterey Bay
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College Readiness Support
No full textThis paper examines the College Readiness Support project implemented at Learning for Life Charter School (LFLCS), an independent charter school serving at-risk youth across Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties. LFLCS supports students who face barriers such as poverty, homelessness, foster care, and credit deficiencies, which often result in low engagement and limited postsecondary readiness. The project was developed to address these challenges by guiding juniors and seniors through the college application process and connecting them with financial aid and scholarship resources. A key component included organizing a field trip to California State University, Monterey Bay’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) office, allowing students to gain firsthand exposure to college resources and support systems for low-income and first-generation students. Eleven students participated in the intervention, exceeding initial expectations. Pre- and post-surveys revealed significant increases in students’ understanding of college support programs, confidence in pursuing higher education, and overall motivation to attend college. While communication challenges limited student interviews, feedback from staff and EOP partners confirmed the project’s positive impact on engagement and awareness. Recommendations for the agency include incorporating annual college field trips, establishing a dedicated college and career specialist, and developing ongoing partnerships with programs like EOP to sustain college readiness initiatives
From Stigma to Strength: Exploring Workplace Wellness at NAMI Monterey County
No full textEmployees in Monterey County face persistent challenges related to poor mental health, driven by high costs of living, limited access to providers, workplace stress, and stigma surrounding help-seeking behaviors. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Monterey County, a grassroots organization committed to education and advocacy, primarily serves caregivers and families of individuals with mental illness but is expanding efforts to address systemic workplace mental health barriers. This capstone project involved designing and piloting workplace-focused interventions, including presentations for a Public Works Department, a customizable training binder, and pre/post-assessment tools. The initiative sought to reduce stigma, increase awareness of resources, and strengthen organizational culture around wellness. Results highlighted strong interest from employers in building stigma-free workplaces and reinforced the need for proactive integration of mental health supports into workplace practices. While full outcomes will depend on long-term adoption, the project established tools and strategies that enhance NAMI’s capacity to expand partnerships with local businesses, strengthen donor relationships, and sustain free programming for the community. As a result, a trial of the Stigma Free Initiative took place to collect feedback to determine the impact on the value for the working community in Monterey County
Supporting Self-Regulation in Middle Childhood Through Social-Emotional Building
No full textChildren in middle childhood, ages 6–12, may struggle to self-regulate their emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. They are becoming more independent, forming deeper friendships, facing greater academic demands, and experiencing more complex situations. Struggles with self-regulation can lead to difficulties in resilience, peer relationships, and school performance, but children who can identify their feelings, understand their emotional triggers, and recognize how these emotions impact their behavior are better able to cope with challenges and stay focused. According to McCabe and Altamura (2011), children with strong social-emotional skills usually have better relationships, more friends, and greater success in school, while those children who lack these skills are more likely to be rejected by peers, have behavioral problems, and struggle academically. To support self-regulation, I created a one-hour lesson for fifth-grade students at Bardin Elementary School focused on identifying emotions, understanding how emotions influence behavior, and using coping techniques
Phylogenomic and Population Genomic Analyses of Ultraconserved Elements Reveal Deep Coalescence and Introgression Shaped Diversification Patterns in Lamprologine Cichlids of the Congo River
No full textUnderstanding the drivers of diversification is a central goal in evolutionary biology but can be challenging when lineages radiate quickly and/or hybridize frequently. Cichlids in the tribe Lamprologini, an exceptionally diverse clade found in the Congo basin, exemplify these issues: their evolutionary history has been difficult to untangle with previous data sets, particularly with regard to river-dwelling lineages in the genus Lamprologus. This clade notably includes the only known blind and depigmented cichlid, Lamprologus lethops. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary, population, and biogeographic history of a Lamprologus clade from the Congo River by leveraging genomic data and sampling over 50 lamprologine species from the entire Lake Tanganyika radiation. This study provides the most comprehensive species-level coverage to date of the riverine taxa within this lacustrine-origin clade. We found that in the mid-late Pliocene, two lineages of Lake Tanganyika lamprologines independently colonized the Congo River, where they subsequently hybridized and diversified, forming the current monophyletic group of riverine Lamprologus. Our estimates for divergence time and introgression align with the region’s geological history and suggest rapid speciation in Lamprologus species from the Congo River marked by rapids-driven vicariance and water level fluctuations, and repeated episodes of secondary contact and reticulation. As a result of our analyses, we propose the taxonomic restriction of the genus Lamprologus to Congo River taxa only. The complex evolutionary history of this group—characterized by introgressive hybridization followed by a rapid series of isolation and reconnection—illustrates the multifaceted dynamics of speciation that have shaped the rich biodiversity of this region
Global Nomads: Identity and Belonging in Third Culture Kids and Adult Third Culture Kids
No full textThis capstone examines the subculture of Third Culture Kids and Adult Third Culture Kids who have experienced living abroad as children. There were two main objectives in this study. First, to understand the perceptions of Adult Third Culture Kids on how their global childhoods have impacted their self-identity and sense of belonging as adults. Secondly, to understand the opinions of Adult Third Culture Kids on transitional programs through their personal experiences with them. The methodology of this capstone included a twelve-question survey distributed to seventeen Adult Third Culture Kids born in six different countries around the world. The questions in the survey focused on two central research questions about self-identity, belonging, and opinions of transitional programs aiding in childhood development. A thematic analysis used Google Highlight to code responses into three themes supported by an accompanying literature review. The findings of this study showed that the perceptions of self-identity and sense of belonging in Adult Third Culture Kids aligned with published literature on the topic. Contrastingly, Adult Third Culture Kids in this study agreed that transitional programs would negatively affect the childhood development of future Third Culture Kids. Having not participated in them during childhood, most concluded that they preferred navigating their childhood without programmed help and would choose not to participate if given the opportunity
Assessing Nursery Quality in Elkhorn Slough: Effects of Hypoxia and Elevated Temperature on Two Juvenile Flatfish Species
No full textEstuaries provide many important ecosystem services connecting the land and sea. For example, they act as nurseries by providing food, habitat, and refuge for juvenile fish that support economically valuable fisheries as adults. However, environmental and anthropogenic stressors, such as warming and hypoxia (i.e., low oxygen), have been linked with biodiversity loss, fish kills, and reduced fish growth, marking a major threat to the availability of high quality nurseries. This study evaluated spatial variation in environmental conditions and nursery function of distinct regions in Elkhorn Slough, a large eutrophic estuary on the Central California coast that supports juvenile flatfish populations including English sole, Parophrys vetulus and speckled sanddabs, Citharichthys stigmaeus . I deployed cages holding flatfish at nine sites along Elkhorn Slough’s main channel, monitoring the growth and survival rates of juvenile English sole (August 2021) and speckled sanddab (November 2021) during two three-week time periods. Sensors recorded dissolved oxygen (DO) and water temperature every 20 minutes during each experiment, while salinity and pH were recorded weekly. All sites underwent substantial daily fluctuations in DO and water temperature, with November experiencing cooler, less hypoxic conditions as well as lower site-by-site variability compared to August. In August, English sole caged at upstream, eutrophic sites—characterized by high daytime temperatures, high salinity, and nighttime hypoxia—suffered high mortality rates and low growth rates. English sole caged at one site (Old Salinas River) exhibited high survival and growth rates despite their location in a eutrophic river channel with poor water quality, possibly due to a combination of high prey density, relatively low salinity, and relatively cool temperatures. In November, juvenile speckled sanddabs exhibited higher survival rates than English sole, though survival was still lower at upstream, more eutrophic sites. A non-significant trend toward higher weight loss at seaward sites compared to sites in the Middle Slough may reflect the seasonal reversal of the salinity gradient or other factors not included in this study, such as prey density. My results suggest that water temperature and DO both contribute seasonally to determining the quality of nursery habitat in Elkhorn Slough, highlighting a need for continued monitoring and local management efforts to improve water quality
Childhood in the Shadow of Obesity: A Monterey County Reality
Full text linkChildhood obesity is a serious health concern for children in Monterey County. To better understand and address this issue, the Monterey County Office of Education Early Learning Program (MCOE) is a government agency dedicated to supporting early childhood education and healthy lifestyles. Using a quantitative approach, a study was conducted to analyze the Body Mass Index (BMI) of children enrolled in the program for the 2023-2024 school year. The findings revealed that 86.67% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the BMI data presented with the BMI findings helped develop new strategies to combat childhood obesity. Key findings from the study revealed that both the healthiest and unhealthiest preschool sites in the Early Learning Program are located in Salinas, California. This raises important questions about why certain areas within the same city are more susceptible to childhood obesity than others. Notably, 86.67% of respondents strongly agree or agree that zip codes play a significant role in addressing childhood obesity. As a result, one key recommendation is to support families and children by providing essential resources tailored to their unique needs, enabling them to reach their full potential and develop healthier lifestyles
Breaking Barriers: An Analysis of Affordable Housing in Pacific Grove
Full text linkThis capstone project focuses on the community members of the City of Pacific Grove who are having a hard time finding affordable housing. The purpose of this project was to identify barriers residents in the City of Pacific Grove are experiencing when looking for affordable housing. This project was implemented in partnership with the City of Pacific Grove’s Community Development Department -Housing Division, which serves local residents by supporting housing and planning efforts. It was a community-based research project from a survey conducted from March to April 2025 that consisted of a total of 12 respondents. The survey was shared online and promoted through social media platforms with the city. The expected outcome was to identify common housing challenges and give the housing division useful information to improve housing support. The project revealed the main challenges the community faces are difficulty paying rent, lack of rental assistance programs and the limited affordable housing options. Recommendations include creating a program that can help residents with rental assistance programs as well as apply for state/federal funding to build or preserve affordable housing units
Teaching Self-Care and Stress Management Techniques for Behavior Technicians
Full text linkOften, people working in helping professions, like behavior technicians, do not get sufficient training on how to manage stress and take care of themselves, which makes burnout common. Without the skills to handle the emotional and psychological demands of their work, they can become unhappy in their jobs, face mental health struggles, and find it hard to provide quality care to their clients. Providing tools for self-care and stress management can improve their well-being and help them stay effective in their work. To help increase stress management and self-care, I created a one-day workshop for behavior technicians employed at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders in Salinas, California
Educating After-School Program Staff on Trauma-Informed Care
Full text linkAfter-school program staff often lack training on trauma-informed practices. Without a clear understanding of trauma-informed care, staff may not appropriately handle situations where a student\u27s behaviors may be rooted in trauma, which can make emotional and behavioral outbreaks worse. By training after-school program staff on trauma-informed practices, the staff can more effectively support students and give them a sense of belonging in the program, while potentially decreasing negative behaviors. In order to address this issue, I created a two-day training session to educate staff at Barrett Elementary School in Morgan Hill, California on the principles and practices of trauma-informed care