Adams State Academic Research

This collection contains theses written by the graduates in Adams State University’s Masters programs.

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Giant Rock, 1999
The thesis body of work, Giant Rock, 1999, addresses memory through a series of large scale oil paintings on canvas depicting two main components: figures and landscape. Throughout the individual paintings self-portraiture is used to depict the artist, express personal narratives, and convey emotions attached to specific memories through abstracted figures. The landscape is used to establish a narrative within the exhibition, ground the paintings in space and time, and reinforce the personal content though a connection to a physical place.
How Core Stability Affects Non-Contact Lower Extremity Injuries in Collegiate Women’s Volleyball and Women’s and Men’s Basketball Players
The purpose of the study was (1) to determine if core musculature strength gains were better with floor exercises or physioball exercises and (2) to determine if the number of non-contact lower extremity injuries would decrease with stronger core musculature in varsity women's volleyball and varsity women's and men's basketball players. Over 8 weeks of summer workouts, 20 female intercollegiate volleyball, 9 female and 16 male intercollegiate basketball players were studied. They were divided into 3 groups, physioball (BAL), floor (FLR), and control and performed core exercises 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Each athlete's core stability was tested via prone core neuromuscular control (NMC), erector spinae stabilization endurance (ESE), and core strength (CST) tests. The control group had significantly weaker core in all 3 tests: NMC (control M--1.33 mmHg, SD-3.662 mmHg; BAL M--7.467mmHg, SD-1.t138 mmHg; FLR M= -6.800 mmHg, SD-5.493 mmHg); ESE (control M-1.733 s, SD-6.273 s, BAL M-18.733 s, SD-8.198 s; FLR M-17.400 s, SD-6.885 s); CST (control M= 2.133', SD= 6.802'; BAL M-22.400', SD-9.148'; FLR M-22.667', SD-7.228'). BAL and FLR had 89% less ankle and 100% less knee injuries than the control group throughout this study. Control group had 25% more ankle and 150% more knee injuries than the BAL and FLR throughout this study. Physioball and floor exercises have similar core stability outcomes. Core stability has an important role in injury prevention.
How Three 1970s Musicals Probed Disillusionment with the American Dream
Three Broadway musicals from throughout the 1970s- in the intentions of their creators and actors, in the reception by critics and audiences, and in the messages of the book and music themselves- reflected larger social issues of the time. Follies (1971) illustrated a narcissistic generation's concerns about marriage and aging, using as its fractured, nostalgic lens the lighthearted entertainment that existed before World War II. A Chorus Line (1975) modeled deep comfort with the language oftherapy and of coming out, workshopping itself almost endlessly and drawing record crowds with its searing honesty. Although Annie did not open until 1977, it was begun in the early part of the decade and reflects the concerns of both eras: debuting during a time of greater hope, looking four decades earlier to make the present seem less dour, and helping New York City reinvent itself. Each musical tried in its own way to come to terms with or reclaim different pieces of an American dream that seemed to be slipping away. The texts and critical responses to the three musicals under study add further insight into the deep undercurrents of the 1970s, a deceptively underwhelming decade that has been reinvigorated by historians in recent years.
Land
Infrared light is invisible to the human eye. I reveal this band of the spectrum by using filters that isolate infrared waves from visible light. Long exposures are necessary, bringing time into the process. Ripples in the water disappear and the leaves, grass and clouds blur, but the land remains solid and sharp. Using techniques that I have been developing over the last several years, I capture the essence of the surrounding landscapes. I finish my work in black and white, giving the viewer a surreal experience with the landscape. I present my work not as a record of a place, but as an invitation into my imagination. My infrared landscapes are parallel worlds that exist just beyond the limits of human perception.
Life's Cycles
This thesis body of work entitled, Life's Cycles, is an installation that explores the concept of movement with the passage of time. Ideas of time, cycles, legacy and memory are encapsulated in the work. The work investigates the intersecting layers that occur among these concepts: how time affects cycles, how the legacy of an individual evolves over time, and how memory relates to legacy as a record of an individual's past existence. In this thesis work, time is conveyed as spherical not linear revolving in a multiplicity of cycles. The past, the present and the future are presented as existing together simultaneously. For example, the present is the future of the past. In this thesis exhibition clay is the medium of choice because of its pliable nature and ability to be transformed into any form imaginable. Clay, the substance that the earth is made of, is suitable to represent this body of work that was conceptualized from nature. The flight patterns of butterflies initiated the concept of movement. Their gordy colors inspired the selection of hues used in the work. Seasonal cycles particularly the freezing and thawing of water in rivers from summer to winter promoted the idea of freezing a moment of time. For the purpose of this thesis, legacy is seen as a continuous cycle that spirals. Each generation creates a legacy and in doing so adds to the legacy that existed previously, creating a collective spiral of memory and legacy. The legacies of a few well known individuals will be discussed in light of their influences on their families, respective nations and even the global community. Family legacies will be examined to discover any similarities or overlapping areas in family members that may have been passed on. The work of Carl Jung will be used as a tool in discovering some of the layering among the concepts being explored. The artist behind the work is interested in the interplay that is possible as these concepts overlap and become entwined.
Linking Strength with Speed
The recognition of the propulsion factor, which is the number of times the foot hits the ground combined with the ability of the leg, hip flexors and knees to propel the individual forward, has shown direct relations between leg muscle strength and speed. Weight training is one popular way to increase overall muscle strength, and this study supports the use of weight training as a means of increasing leg muscle strength in non-professional runners. This study was created to demonstrate the link between greater muscle strength, achieved through weight training, and increased speed in non-competitive runners. By demonstrating first that weight training results in stronger muscles and then that these muscles are utilized in increased propulsion force that increases speed, this study supports the theory that speed and muscle strength are directly related.
Living in Limbo
I have spent the last year investigating and exploring notions of identity and purpose, to try and answer that question posed by the Fleet Foxes. I know that I am not the only young adult that has felt apprehension about the future, but it has become clear the expectations of our affluent American society are no longer applicable to my, and future, generations. The old blueprint handed down to us from other generations no longer describes the reality of modern life, leaving an entire generation without a useful guide to adulthood. In this body of work I explore the feeling of limbo through portraiture. It's a feeling that I have felt throughout my adult life. Limbo, in relation to this series, is defined as a period of confusion, indulgence, and crisis for people between the ages of 18-34. It is a stage somewhere between adolescence and adulthood. Psychologists and Sociologists refer to this age range as the quarter life. Many historical, sociological and economical factors that are specific to affluent western nations have lead to the development of this new stage of life (Atwood, Joan, Schultz 233).
Lower Body and Core Medicine Ball Training and its Effects on Bat Velocity of Division II Fastpitch Softball Players
With the lack of research on women's fastpitch softball, the current study aimed to identify if a lower body and core medicine ball training program caused an increase in bat swing velocities in division II fastpitch softball players. After University IRB approval, 16 division II female fastpitch softball players (age: 20.7 ± 1.19 years; height: 165.76 ± 6.68cm; weight: 146.50 ± 24.09lbs) volunteered to participate in this study. Training compliance rate for the experimental group was 91.0% and for the 91.5% for the control. Pre and post-test values of bat swing velocity, body fat percentage, lean body mass, and a 1RM of a weighted squat were collected. Participants were randomly placed in the experimental or control training group. The experimental group performed the regular in season strength and conditioning program, as well the sport specific medicine ball training program. The control group performed the regular in season strength and conditioning program, as well as a training program consisting of additional medicine ball exercises to assure an equal volume of training was done for both groups. Both groups completed their regular in season lifting as well as the additional medicine ball exercises on the same two days for a total of eight weeks (16 total training day). Results showed significant increases (p < 0.05) in average bat swing velocity and the 1RM of a weighted squat, from pre-testing to post testing for both groups. The experimental group experienced greater increases in bat swing velocity and 1RM weighted squat than the control group. However, when comparing the results from the experimental group to the control training group, there were no statistical differences. The results of the current study suggest that a lower body and core medicine ball training program, with division II fastpitch softball players, produces increases in bat swing velocity and in a 1 RM weighted squat.
Lundy's Lane: An Analysis of The Battle of Niagara Falls, 25 July 1814
This thesis involves discovering how the actors who participated in this event, and the historians who interpreted its outcome from the nineteenth century to present-day remembered the War of 1812's Battle of Niagara Falls, or, the Battle of Lundy's Lane. The goal is to show that competing militaristic narratives, which proposed victory for their respective sides, chronicled the consequences of that fray. By examining the Battle of Niagara Falls through a fresh perspective, it becomes clear that it was a stalemate. Through showing that this armed conflict lives on in parallel nationalistic memories, this thesis highlights the importance of the intersection of these accounts, which offers an alternative to these recollections.
Mile High Magic: An Analysis of the Impact of Professional Sports in Denver
The city of Denver has evolved from a humble pair of mining settlements to a large and booming metropolis. The city has experienced growth in industry and changes in generating its economic revenue. Denver began as a burgeoning settlement that relied heavily on the extraction and selling of natural resources such as silver and gold. After WWII, Denver began expanding into other industries and differentiated its ways to expand. What resulted the second half of the twentieth century was changes in city neighborhoods. Many districts in the city have been and continue to be revitalized through the restoration of historical buildings as well as the construction of entirely new structures for residential housing, offices and other multi-use purposes. The second half of the twenty century also yielded the creation and progression of Denver's professional sports teams. The addition of the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rockies reflect a genuine interest by city boosters and moguls in creating and maintaining its professional sports teams. These franchises produce high amounts of revenue for their owners and various types of remunerations for other business enterprises like hotels and restaurants. The addition of these teams (and others before them) established a banner of civic pride amongst city, metro and state residents. Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans either attend or watch the weekly games of these teams. The downtown area of Denver consistently uses these teams to polish its image as a winning city, one that is attractive for new outsiders to move to permanently. The changes in the destruction and formation of these teams' sports arenas/stadiums have assisted in downtown development/revitalization efforts in the city.
Mountain Bike Capital U.S.A: The Development of a Mountain Bike Town
Grand County, Colorado boasts itself as "Mountain Bike Capital U.S.A. Though determining whether or not the county is worthy of such a title would be a worthwhile effort, this thesis instead focuses on how mountain biking became an economic driver for the mountain towns in Grand County. Through dissecting national trends, local business practices and personal interviews it was clear several groups had a hand in creating this mountain bike reinforced summer economy. The national trends in technology, sales market, and popularity of biking created an opportunity for mountain based economies to exist. Grand County proved to be a quality venue for mountain biking, as it already had trails, logging roads, and a service industry ready to host thousands of tourists. The United States Forest Service and local interest groups helped facilitate trail systems in the county, which has grown considerably in the past decades. As mountain biking's popularity rose, signs of cultural change were apparent around the county. Locals, governments, and businesses began to embrace mountain biking as a considerable aspect of the summer tourism industry. Large businesses in the county have taken to mountain biking in new ways, controlling the terrain and morphing the sport into an idealistic experience. Uncovering these elements of the Grand County mountain biking scene created a clearer image of how mountain biking became an economic driver.
Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute
This thesis presents a case study of the policy formation that is intended to shed light on important aspects of the Federal Governments' involvement with Big Business concerning the alleged Navajo-Hopi land dispute. The federal law to be examined is Public Law 93-531: The Navajo and Hopi Land Settlement Act of 1974. The federal law was instituted in an effort to settle the decades old "problem" concerning land issues that arose between members of the two tribes. A prodding from Big Business in interests led the federal government to become involved, supposedly because the two tribes could not remedy the situation. I postulate that a mixture of government involvement at all levels with Big Business was involved to reach the eventual outcome. The study looks at the solution from multiple perspectives, including federal and state governments, tribal governments, Big Business interests, and natives who were impacted by the enacted decisions. Further, I postulate that this is not a dispute between two tribes, but a dispute between the tribes and the government.

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