2379 research outputs found
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Consignment Bridal & Prom
Get PDFWe have worked with Consignment Bridal and Prom to help them in their marketing. We have conducted a complete report on this local business and implemented on many recommendations we had for the company.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1001/thumbnail.jp
Strategic Analysis and Decision Making: Ross and TJX
Get PDFThe analysis of the biggest off-price company, Ross against one of their most significant competitors, TJX Companies. Focusing mostly on Ross, we look at the company\u27s history, the main demographic, comparative analysis, overall growth, and the financial health of Ross and TJX Companies in the past one to three years. There is also a comparison to Costco and we see the difference between wholesale and retail companies.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1004/thumbnail.jp
The Impact of an 8-Week Counselor-Led Series of Workshops on Elementary Grade Students’ Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy
Get PDFThis study focused on the impact of an eight-week workshop series focusing on developing and improving students\u27 self-esteem and self-efficacy. Research has shown a connection between self-esteem self-efficacy, and academic achievement. Nine students from a suburban elementary school who were recommended by their teacher and counselor participated in the study. A pre/post-test was used to determine their sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem. The results present both the responses to the survey as well as an in-depth examination of how the specific characteristics of the students could impact the outcomes.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1009/thumbnail.jp
The Rainbow Fund
Get PDFFor the last couple of weeks of our project, we have been emailing and zooming back and forth with Sidney\u27s Rainbows. We have created a survey for them to use to ask local small businesses about what they need when working with this organization. Sidney\u27s Rainbows has sent that out to businesses in downtown Andover and collected their feedback to move forward with their plans of Rainbow day.
Additionally, we have also reached out to Aroma Joe\u27s about having a truck come to Merrimack\u27s campus. The proceeds made from this truck will go towards the Sidney\u27s Rainbow fund. We also have discussed a fundraising event at the local Aroma Joes. They proposed having a specific drink where proceeds get donated to a fund. During this event, we plan on passing out Bingo cards to further support small businesses. With these bingo cards, students and participants of Rainbow Day are able to go out to the town of Andover, tick off the boxes, and after the whole card is filled out, be entered into a raffle for a prize.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1020/thumbnail.jp
RISE: Promoting Resilience, Independence, and Self-Empowerment
Get PDFIn recent years, higher education institutions have struggled with their response to shifting attitudes towards student autonomy and its role in development. Many students who enter college come from environments where they have been highly supported and guided, known commonly as having “helicopter parents” (Bradley-Geist & Olson-Buchanan, 2014). When these students arrive to institutions, they often struggle with independence, self-reliance, and resilience (McConville, 2020). The increasing trend of coddling in higher education, where students are given excessive support, compromises their ability to navigate challenges and develop the skills needed to succeed post-college (Koganzon, 2024). To address this issue, I have created a program that will encourage the development of autonomous self-reliance in first-year college students by creating a course that utilizes evidence-based workshops that promote student growth. Students will leave the course feeling more confident in their own decision making, more capable of facing adversity, and more ownership over their college and future experiences and successes.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1025/thumbnail.jp
Bridging the Gap: Making Higher Education Accessible to All
Get PDFHigher education institutions often fail to provide adequate support systems for student-athletes and students with disabilities. Scholars have indicated that “Students with disabilities require special support in order to integrate academically and socially into college life” ((Troiano, Liefeld, & Trachtenberg, 2010, p. 36). Students who do not receive adequate support result in lower academic performance, retention rates, and an increase in mental health challenges. To address this challenge, in my project, I will increase knowledge and awareness about students with disabilities by implementing mandatory faculty training. Through this training, faculty will develop an increased knowledge and understanding of disabilities and how to support students with disabilities. As a result of this training, the retention rates of students will increase and ultimately lead to an overall increase in the student\u27s success in higher education.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1033/thumbnail.jp
Engaging Gen Z Students with AMP
Get PDFThere is a major problem with enrollment and student retention at colleges and universities today. Institutions all over the nation are facing declining enrollment rates. (Marcus, 2021). This has a negative effect on institutions, as well as impacting learning outcomes negatively for the students who are enrolled. Compounding these problems is that colleges are not doing an adequate job of retaining the current generation of students (Generation Z) applying to their institutions. Engagement on campus (co-curricular as well as academic) has been shown to have a positive effect on student learning outcomes and also serves as a good indicator for student retention. (Weber & Kiem, 2021). Co-curricular engagement takes up students’ time far more than classroom time, yet there has been little effort put forth by scholars to address engaging students outside the classroom. This paper aims to explore the reasons why students resist engagement and to positively change that resistance. Using research compiled about exploring Generation Z students in the classroom, a program was designed to increase student engagement among student affairs professionals. This will lead to increased student retention, and better student outcomes.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1034/thumbnail.jp
Effective Interventions for Adolescent Girls: Social Media and Body Image
Get PDFSocial media use has been a common concern affecting many young adults. Body image concerns are a major issue among adolescent girls who are using social media, negatively impacting their mental health (Choukas-Bradley et al., 2022). Interventions are needed to help adolescent girls who are being affected by the negative effects social media produces on body-image (de Valle et al., 2021). Appearance comparisons is a common issue that adolescent girls face when being exposed to images of the “perfect body.” Finding treatments to assist this ongoing issue is crucial to help with the self-esteem and confidence of adolescent girls (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016). This systematic literature review evaluates recent studies to determine what interventions can help best support adolescent girls struggling with their body image due to social media. Interventions that have been found effective when working with adolescents affected by this issue are: Group counseling programs in the community, group counseling programs in schools, digital detox, peer-led discussions, and social-emotional learning Results from this systematic literature review can be used to help policymakers and practitioners understand how these interventions can help best support adolescent girls struggling with their own body image.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1043/thumbnail.jp
Access Denied: How Bathroom Discrimination and School Policies Impact Transgender and Nonbinary Students\u27 Mental Health
Get PDFTransgender and nonbinary (TGNB) youth experience unique challenges in the school setting, particularly regarding access to gender-affirming spaces and inclusive policies. In the United States of America, there are significant disparities between states in policies regarding TGNB inclusion, as some states require protective policies while others implement restrictive measures that prohibit gender-affirming practices. This systematic literature review examines the relationship between bathroom discrimination, school policies, and the mental health of TGNB students. Drawing upon the findings of 20 empirical studies, this review explores how restrictive or affirming school policies impact the psychological well-being and overall sense of belonging for TGNB youth. Findings indicate that schools with gender-inclusive policies and access to gender-affirming restrooms are associated with better mental health outcomes for TGNB students, while discriminatory practices lead to a decrease in mental health and academic engagement. This review highlights the need for policy changes to foster a safer and more supportive school environment for TGNB youth.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1046/thumbnail.jp
Impact of Febrile-Like Stress on Mouse Macrophages
Get PDFThe macrophage is a type of white blood cell called a phagocyte that engulfs foreign substances and particles like, bacteria, dead cells, and debris. It then digests them in a process called Macrophage phagocytosis. This process is key to defending the body against pathogens and regulate the inflammation afterward.
Immunostaining is a technique which uses antibodies to detect specific proteins in cells. This can be used to diagnose health conditions like cancer and other infections. Together, these two methods can be combined to detect the ingested particles inside the macrophage and quantify the phagocytic activity occurring in the cell.
This project aims to explore the combination of these techniques through our findings in the lab and quantify those results in a cohesive presentation as well as explain how these techniques can be used for to better the health of those in need.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1054/thumbnail.jp