University of Memphis Digital Commons
Not a member yet
43176 research outputs found
Sort by
Holla Back: The African American Rhetorical Tradition of Call and Response and The Montgomery Riverfront Brawl
Get PDFCall and Response is a common production and performance within the African/African American community. Traditionally, it has been synonymous with African/African American preaching/oratory and African/African American music (spirituals, blues, gospel, jazz, soul, and rap). When the discourse of Call and Response is engaged often, it is regulated to these two major contexts. Unfortunately, this is a common and unostentatious understanding of Call and Response in the primary sectors of the African/African American (A/AA) community. The discourse of Call and Response outside of preaching and music within the densely populated African and African American life provides limited discourse of conceptualization and articulation of Call and Response in other facets of A/AA existence. In other words, on the streets of Harlem, Atlanta, Memphis, Houston, and Oakland, locations heavily saturated with Black bodies. It is highly unlikely that those who would be able to speak about Call and Response beyond the Black music and the Black church preaching/oratory with conviction will be found. On the surface, it would appear there is no justification to study or entertain the production and performance of Call and Response beyond its traditional understanding, moreover when it has not received ample inquiry from within the Lakeshas, Yolandas, Ebonys(i), Jamals, Tyrones, and Andres of the African American community. However, at this juncture, this work asks questions about Call and Response and its production and performance beyond music and preaching/oratory. Does Call and Response come online in other segments and contexts within the A/AA community? Where and how are the production and performance of Call and Response articulated beyond traditional themes? What are the benefits of Call and Response produced and performed in other spaces of African American life? Why is Call and Response paramount to reach beyond the role of music and preaching/oratory? The use of textual analysis (close reading) and the critique of vernacular are the methods that will be employed to aid in investigating these questions and propositions. To assist in fleshing out these questions and providing resolutions, The Montgomery Riverfront Brawl (MRB) serves as an ideal text. First, it is a recent event that requires little in-depth complex research. The vast majority of the African American community has witnessed this event on a variety of mediums; the same can be said about a healthy number of white communities. Second, the MRB is unique as this event addresses four major aspects of A/AA life. The MRB and this work confirm that Call and Response is not only a crucial component to African/African American music and preaching/oratory, but it is also found vibrancy in the segments of history, spirituality, social movements, and media/technology in the Black community. To that end, the MRB articulates how it employs and relies on the production and performance of Call and Response in the making and completion of its narrative. The aftermath of the MRB equality encompasses means that support Call and Response out of traditional strongholds. In short, Call and Response is produced and performed in the major events of Black life but also takes up residents in the mundane of a Tuesday afternoon. Essentially, Call and Response has never been what Africans/African Americans do; it is who they were, are, and are becoming
Transcranial Ultrasound Investigation Toward Rapid Stroke Detection
Get PDFIschemic strokes entail a blockage of vessels in the brain and account for 87% of all strokes. When these blockages occur in large cerebral arteries, there is a 95% post-stroke mortality rate. Given these statistics, rapid identification and treatment is crucial for positive patient outcomes. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a noninvasive ultrasound technique that transmits ultrasonic pulses through the skull to assess arterial flow velocities to determine whether any large vessel occlusions (LVOs) are present. However, identifying both an acoustic window that allows ultrasonic pulses to propagate well and the angle to align the beam with large vessels proves to be challenging. In this work, we aim to develop an experimental approach to identify and characterize the acoustic window. Initial simulations of piston transducers were done using Field II in a homogenous medium. These simulations were then later used in comparison to simulations of ultrasound propagation through the skull. Another experiment used a phased-array probe over a skull bisection to acquire data and quantitatively assess the severity of phase aberration vs. position. These results provide baseline simulations and calculations to accurately characterize and identify the acoustic window. This work will inform the design of a custom transcranial array probe for rapid detection of severe stroke
Evaluating A New Student Orientation Program With Tinto’s 1993 Framework And Council For Advancement Standards
Get PDFThis study examined the effectiveness of a New Student Orientation (NSO) based on the program’s mode (blended or in-person only) while controlling for race, high school GPA, and first-generation status. While NSO programs are common at various universities, there has been limited research to evaluate the impact of delivery mode as it relates to students’ perceptions of support services and key institutional resources when particularly controlling demographic factors. This study addresses the gap in research by evaluating how the NSO mode impacts students’ perceptions of resources learned during both the in-person and blended NSO programs. Grounded in Tinto’s 1993 Institutional Departure Theory and Council for Advancement Standards (CAS), this research explores how NSO mode affects students’ perceptions of key resources and institutional information at The University of Memphis. The researcher-developed survey aligns with both CAS standards and Tinto’s framework and was administered to first-time, second-semester freshmen who attended an in-person or blended NSO program in the Summer of 2024 (n = 191). The instrument measured perceptions across six subscales, which included schedule formation and advising, academic services, social services, social interactions, general impressions, and accessibility. Survey data was collected and analyzed from first-time freshmen who attended NSO in the summer of 2024 through descriptive analysis, an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA). Though the omnibus MANCOVA was not significant, univariate findings suggest that students who attend a blended NSO reported higher effectiveness scores compared to students who attend an in-person-only NSO in the academic services, social services, social interactions, general impressions, and accessibility subscales. The results show the importance of a blended NSO format as it relates to students entering and persisting in the college environment. Additionally, the blended approach could offer an equitable format that gives students an opportunity to be introduced and re-introduced to key policies and resources during the student’s transition from high school. Multiple exposures to content could allow students to access information at their own pace before attending the in-person orientation, which reinforces their understanding of institutional expectations, services, and policies. The findings from this study have practical implications for institutions looking to increase program accessibility and promote student persistence
Vol. 87: A Successful Outcome for Every Student
No full textThe University of Memphis is establishing a primary campus-wide commitment to creating a successful outcome for every student. President Bill Hardgrave explains this initiative and how it aligns with the Ascend Strategic Plan in this edition of the President\u27s Perspective
Vol. 84: Stephanie Froehlich, VP Engagement
No full textPresident Bill Hardgrave talks with the Vice President for Engagement Stephanie Froehlich to discuss the importance of engagement for the University and the ways alumni and the Memphis community can support students
Vol. 97: Frosh Camp
No full textPresident Bill Hardgrave sits down with David Webster, a senior health sciences major from Memphis, Tenn., and a counselor at Frosh Camp, to discuss how the program introduces incoming students to the UofM and sets them on a path to a successful college outcome
Residence of K.R. Armistead
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/picturing-memphis-images/1088/thumbnail.jp
Residence of W.M. Ball
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/picturing-memphis-images/1100/thumbnail.jp
Residence of Mrs. Jennie Casey
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/picturing-memphis-images/1116/thumbnail.jp
Residence of Dr. R.S. Toombs
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/picturing-memphis-images/1124/thumbnail.jp