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Print By Brick: Accessible Art with Lego
No full textMany people see art as difficult or requiring expensive materials, but that’s not the case. This project highlights accessible art forms—such as letterpress, printmaking, and risography—using LEGO as a creative and affordable alternative. By using readily available resources like Legos to create art you have something that is relatively cheaper than the other print processes and is more portable. For this project, I created portraits of easily recognizable artists. A digital render of the image is created using a Unity-based program to tweak the composition and use it as a reference to reduce errors. The image is then separated into different color layers, individually inked with a brayer, and hand printed using a wooden spoon or similar tool. The final prints will be displayed on the wall, along with small recreations of the artist\u27s artwork. I imagine this as a multi-medium project so the accompanying artwork will be made out of Perler beads. While this project is open to all audiences, I want to cater to designers and those who are already engaged in creative fields
Mental Health Awareness
No full textI believe mental health awareness is an incredibly important topic that affects people of all backgrounds. Mental health is something that is often overlooked or misunderstood, and through this project, I create meaningful designs that can educate, support, and inspire others. The project will result in mental health posters and one mental health booklet. Each of the posters focuses on a different key aspect of mental health, and are designed to raise awareness and spark conversations about topics that people may feel uncomfortable discussing. The goal of the posters is not only to provide important facts and information but also to connect with the audience on an emotional level through impactful visuals and thoughtful messaging. I want each poster to feel unique but still work as part of a cohesive series, using consistent design elements, typography, and color palettes that reflect the theme of mental wellness. In the booklet, I am currently adding a lot of detailed information about men’s mental health, women’s mental health, different types of mental disorders, and different types of mental health issues. There are sections specifically focusing on men and women as mental health challenges often present differently across genders, and there are unique stigmas and barriers to seeking help that I wanted to address. For example, men are often discouraged from expressing emotions, which can lead to untreated mental health struggles. On the other hand, women may face increased mental health risks due to societal pressures, hormonal changes, and other factors. I feel that highlighting these differences can help readers better understand the full scope of mental health. For the visual design of the booklet, I added monochrome images for the backgrounds on the front and back covers. I chose monochrome imagery because I wanted to create a clean, modern, and calming aesthetic that would not distract from the important information being presented. These images add depth and emotion to the booklet without overwhelming the reader. My goal is to create designs that are both informative and visually engaging, helping to break the stigma around mental health and encourage people to seek the support they need
Bridging the Gap: Transitional Programs and Informational Sessions for GED Student Success in STEM
No full textAccording to the National Science Foundation, STEM occupations are expected to increase by 6.9% by 2032, yet there is a shortage of professionals in STEM disciplines which require at least a bachelor\u27s degree. Only a small percentage of non-traditional students pursue STEM-related fields in higher education, which could help close this gap. A non-traditional student is someone who takes an alternative pathway to higher education, rather than directly from high school. In this study, a non-traditional student is limited to someone who obtains their high school diploma equivalency- General Education Development (GED). GED students are not given the resources to direct themselves to succeed in STEM fields. Even if GED earners master their math assessment, they will still need an additional one to four semesters prior to reaching Calculus. Therefore, without having the preparation or resources, non-traditional students are less likely to pursue a STEM degree. This study hypothesizes that implementing a preparatory bridge/transitional program for GED, integrating STEM courses into the GED framework, will enhance math readiness and increase non-traditional student enrollment in STEM majors. To test our hypothesis, we will implement STEM career informational workshops and implement a transitional bridge program. So far, we met with the Adult Education Director to discuss co-creating the transitional program. To support this transition, GED students would first take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) for GED placement, followed by the option to take ALEKS (higher education math placement) to assess math readiness. Based on their scores, students would be directed toward pathways which would introduce them to Pre-Calculus topics, while taking the GED requirement courses. At the end of the transition program, students will retake ALEKS to measure score changes. Students will also complete a pre and post-survey to assess their STEM interest before and after the informational workshops. As a result, we expect this transitional program enables GED students to increase STEM course preparation and begin at a proficient level, avoiding additional years of study. This is with hopes to enhance their math readiness skills, prepare them for STEM courses, and encourage more non-traditional students to pursue STEM careers overall
The Relationship Between Mental Well-Being and Substance Use Among Non-Traditional College Students
No full textThe proposed study will investigate the relationship between well-being and substance use among non-traditional college students. Prior research has shown a correlation between well-being and substance use among college students (Brandt et al., 2022; Firkey et al., 2021). The proposed study’s population differs from traditional college students and faces a unique set of challenges like employment, family obligations and COVID lockdown experiences. The sample will be recruited from an urban midwestern university with a significant proportion of students who would be considered nontraditional. The recruited sample will attend school in an urban setting, live off campus, be older, and have a diverse population. The study will be a quantitative survey aimed at assessing aspects of well-being of non-traditional college students like financial/job/family stress, academic pressure, the residual impact of the COVID lockdown, and levels of substance use. Measures will include questions taken from existing surveys like the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Satisfaction With Life Surveys. Original questions designed to address issues not covered by existing surveys will also be included. Analyses will examine Pearson correlations between measures of well-being and substance use behaviors. ANOVA will be used to analyze different levels of substance use among varying aspects of well-being. Results will help to understand how well-being impacts non-traditional college students\u27 substance use. This is vital information needed by academic institutions to provide appropriate support services. While this study is yet to be completed, it is expected to find that the combination of academic pressure, the COVID experience,and unique environmental stressors will contribute to substance use among non-traditional college students. This will help to highlight the necessity of targeted support services that address the specific needs of this population. This work will contribute a greater understanding of how well-being impacts substance use among non-traditional college students by understanding the relationship between well-being and substance use. Furthermore, a greater understanding of patterns of substance use among non-traditional college students and how this relates to aspects of their academic and psychosocial functioning may be useful in developing targeted strategies for prevention and intervention
Testing for presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in the Upper North Branch Chicago River and North Shore Channel
No full textPer- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals synthesized for manufactured products since the 1930s, including fast food wrappers, non-stick surfaces, and waterproof clothing. The chemical properties of PFAS make them resistant to degradation, and thus are referred to as “forever chemicals”. PFAS have been classified by the World Health Organization as a Group 1 carcinogen, and have been detected in waterways. Because the Upper North Branch Chicago River (river) and North Shore Channel (channel) below the O’Brien Wastewater Treatment Plant are used by many populations, we selected them to determine the presence of PFAS.The land use of the watershed of the river includes residential neighborhoods, commercial and industrial uses, and open/parkland, while the channel’s land use is predominantly residential and commercial lots. To determine PFAS concentrations in the river and channel, we performed water sample filtration and HPLC separation using EPA method 537.1. Standard chromatograms for two types of PFAS were generated to allow identification of these PFAS in our samples. Concentrated samples were analyzed in HPLC via UV-VIS at wavelengths between 220 to 290 nm using the recommended gradient of deionized water with 0.1% TFA and HPLC-grade methanol. The results from the HPLC analysis revealed various peaks, but none corresponded to the retention times of the standard PFA compounds (220 mAU). There were several significant peaks at the six-minute retention time, which may indicate the presence of different PFAS. Future research should use mass spectrometry to identify the substances that are associated with these peaks
Nkurunziza, Yvette
No full textNkurunziza was an infant when her father was murdered during the 1972 Genocide of Burundi. Her father was a customs officer and a respected community member. Military officials arrested her father on his way to work, and he was never seen alive again. After his death, Nkurunziza explained her family’s living conditions worsened, and her mother sent them to live with their grandmother. Nkurunziza explained that because Tutsis killed her father, she was raised to hate Tutsis because all Tutsis were terrible people. However, Nkurunziza is proud to share that her daughter-in-law and grandchild are part of Tutsi, and there is no room for hate in their hearts. Now, she hopes the youth study the past so that this mass atrocity never happens again.https://neiudc.neiu.edu/burundi-oral-histories/1039/thumbnail.jp
Niyiragira, Venant
No full textVenant Niyiragira was a fifth grader when the 1972 Genocide of Burundi began. He vividly remembers returning home from school and hearing that his father had been killed. Niyiragira said a close friend of the family witnessed a truck filled with soldiers force his father into the vehicle. The same friend told Niyiragira it might be safer for him to wear a dress as males were prevalently targeted by the militia. Niyiragira said at this time, soldiers were using hammers to smash their victim’s skulls in half before dumping their bodies, dead or alive, into mass graves. He and his siblings fled to the Congo to escape the violence. They slept outside for days until the Congolese took pity on them and welcomed them into a refugee camp. Niyiragira said he could never return to school again because he had too much hate in his heart.https://neiudc.neiu.edu/burundi-oral-histories/1052/thumbnail.jp
Mateso, Alexis
No full textMateso’s father was ambushed and killed in Bujumubura. He was traveling to pick up his monthly paycheck and never returned home. Instead of seeing his father’s safe return, Mateso was greeted by his dad’s best friend, who held his father’s jacket. At that moment, Mateso said he knew his father was gone. Before this tragedy struck, Mateso said he had fond memories of his father gently waking him up before he left for work each morning and warmly greeting him in the evenings. Mateso hopes Burundians can come together to address their past and positively change things for a better future. Mateso said God has helped him have a forgiving spirit, and he is ready to live in harmony.https://neiudc.neiu.edu/burundi-oral-histories/1045/thumbnail.jp
Niyongabo, Elois
No full textNiyongabo said he was forced to drop out of the fifth grade because that is when the 1972 Genocide of Burundi commenced. He recalled teachers telling him and his fellow classmates that they were taking a day off school and class would resume next week. In reality, Niyongabo said the school was canceled so the community could attend a meeting to prepare for the genocide against the Hutu. A chief commander that the community could not identify as Hutu secretly attended the meeting and warned the locals that there would be killings. Niyongabo lost his father and other relatives during the genocide. He said that his Tutsi neighbors took over their home and were never able to utter a word to the people who stole his father’s life and his family’s home.https://neiudc.neiu.edu/burundi-oral-histories/1054/thumbnail.jp