My project examines how social media shapes Generation Z college and university students’ perceptions of news topics, with a particular focus on how they view environmental issues. Through the careful examination of a survey I created and in person interviews I asked college students to share what their social media feed is showing them when it comes to the news and if they see anything environmentally based. In this new digital age more and more people are looking towards social media as a way to get their news, that means that there is more fake news being shown and users are getting shown posts that are specifically geared towards their interests. I believe that social media has the power to induce chaos or inspire change and depending on how information is framed, shared, and consumed. With our environment being in the state it is currently in it is important for environmental issues to be communicated responsibly and effectively. Seeing how the generation that has started to take that leap into the adult world  consumes news and information via social media can reveal how their environmental perceptions are shaped.  

keywords:  Environemntal perception, media literacy, social media feeds 

Research surrounding the emergence of track technology to see the impact it has on collegiate athletes at the Division III level. Specifically looking at the ""super spikes"", which are running spikes with a rigid foam and carbon fiber plate geared toward enhancing performance. With that, determining the fairness and accessibility of this advancement to answer the question, how is “trackflation”—the improvement of sprinting times driven by advanced technology, reshaping Division III track & field through performance gaps, raising concerns regarding the future of the sport? Research was done through a meta-analysis, analyzing top performances done at the Division III level over the last ten years, and a comparative survey of track athletes' performances before and after the addition of new spikes. As a current Division III track and field athlete, this topic was very fascinating to research, as it shows how athletes are constantly improving over the years and setting new standards. Specifically, Division III athletics has provided me with many opportunities to balance athletics and academics, emphasizing the importance of having that Division III level.

keywords:  Track & Field, Sports, Physics, Track & Field Technology, Meta-analysis

My honors capstone investigates the relationship between visual representation, emotional response, and the synthesis of personal and collective memory. The project explores how images function as more than documentation of the past, acting instead as powerful tools that can both reflect and distort reality to influence contemporary thought. By examining the power of the photograph and its testimonies of the present and past, my research seeks to identify specific factors that determine an image's truth. 

To execute this project, I analyzed texts in visual culture, including Roland Barthes’s Camera Lucida and Susan Sontag’s On Photography. I synthesized these theoretical frameworks with modern observations on digital consumption to evaluate how reality is filtered through the lens. My investigation concludes with the presentation of my own original photographic works. These photographs apply the ideas from my research by exploring how images can evoke emotional responses and shape how viewers interpret the truth. I will present these original images along with my analysis.

I chose this project because images are fundamental to how we perceive the world, yet the criteria that make an image feel real or truthful remain highly subjective. This investigation is important because it addresses the ways in which visual narratives shape public memory and influence our interpretation of the past and present. By examining how images make us feel, this work seeks to uncover the emotional responses that turn a single captured moment into a lasting part of our collective visual history.

keywords:  Photography Theory, Visual Culture, Subjective Truth, Collective Memory, Emotions

This project investigates fostering engagement in a mathematics elementary school classroom. Through the completion of research that went towards a literature review and my student teaching experience, I explored how the classroom setup, atmosphere, and types of math problems impact student engagement. I focused specifically on how they are behaviorally, cognitively, emotionally, and academically engaged. I also observed classroom practices regarding their setup, which involves table orientation, carpet space, lighting, and more. Also by viewing the classroom atmosphere, I was able to witness the creation of relationships, encouragement of growth mindsets, and utilization of inclusive teaching practices. The types of problems I observed consisted of real-world connections, collaboration, and use of manipulatives. By creating a website, I combined all of my observations to be viewed by the community to help them gain greater insight in supporting student engagement in mathematics. I developed lesson plans to showcase what instruction may look like when incorporating all of these practices. Many students find math to be boring or feel that they are bad at it, diminishing their self-esteem and creating negative mindsets towards mathematics. Thus, through this website, I will help support educators in their practices by providing ideas in setting up and creating a mathematically engaging elementary school classroom so students will fall in love with mathematics.

keywords:  Elementary Education, Mathematics, Engagement

The attrition rate for special educators and related specialists has been increasing in recent years. Though some studies have concluded that the increasing attrition is related to stress, lack of administrative support, and lack of training, little research has been done to explore how students' behavior in particular impacts the wellbeing of special educators. This is important because educator wellbeing as related to student-educator relationships could have a strong link to an educator's decision to come back year after year. With that, my study explored how the nonadherence of feeling rules by students in special education impacts the wellbeing of special educators. In this study, the nonadherence of feeling rules by students in special education will be generally defined as students’ failure to follow spoken and unspoken social norms. This study will use a phenomenological approach with the purpose of understanding how the nonadherence of feeling rules by students in special education impacts the wellbeing of special educators, in order to purpose effective coping mechanisms that will help lower the attrition rate. This was done by conducting semi-structured interviews, accompanied by basic information surveys, with special educators and related specialists, to evaluate their mental, emotional, and physical experience working in special education. I used my results to create a website detailing the history of special education, along with my research and the implications of my findings. The intention is for the website not only to help educate the community at large, but be a place for special educators to connect with others in the field. This project is personally important to me as an educator who has spent time in many different facets of special education and seen and felt the impact of feeling rules. I will share my experience with this project through my Honors thesis defense presentation.

keywords:  Educators, Special Education, Feeling Rules, Coping

When looking at the curriculum for a typical music history class, one may feel compelled to ask, “where are the women?” Indeed, music history studies tend to focus mostly on composers that represent only a portion of the population: male, white, heterosexual, and from Western culture. As a woman and composer, this lack of representation can feel discouraging and may even seep into current dynamics and interactions within the industry. Some institutions have made an effort to diversify the composers in their curricula, but this disparity is difficult to entirely resolve because of several factors that generally limited women’s ability to participate in music; that is, the issue stems not exclusively from a lack of representation today, but also from a lack of opportunity throughout history.

This thesis addresses this gender gap in three parts—first, an analysis of those limitations faced by women composers in the past; second, an overview of what music history curricula look like today; and finally, a survey of a wide demographic of composers about their own experiences in music history classrooms and how, if at all, this affected their musical or personal development.

keywords:  music, gender, education, diversity

There are various age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and sensory functioning that can significantly impact older adults’ independence, safety, and participation in meaningful occupations. Throughout my project, I will explore the impact of assistive technology (AT) on the quality of life of older adults while highlighting its role in enhancing independence, safety, and engagement in daily activities. The assistive technology examined includes vision, hearing, mobility, speech, communication, and learning aids, which are commonly used by older adults to support everyday functioning. This project is conducted using a quantitative, survey-based research methodology. A structured survey was developed and distributed to older adults who currently use or have observed the use of assistive technology. This survey incorporates questions to assess the participants' perceived levels of independence, safety, satisfaction, and overall well-being. The collected data will be analyzed to identify trends and relationships between the assistive technology used and occupational performance outcomes. These findings will be presented through a written report and shared as part of a scholarly presentation. This project was chosen due to the growing aging population and the increasing relevance of assistive technology in occupational therapy practices. It is essential to understand how older adults perceive and experience assistive technology in order to develop effective client-centered interventions. 

keywords:  Assistive Technology, Elders, Independence, Well-being