| Seniors present capstones during annual conference BY ADRIENNE FRANK
Photo by Jeff Watts
Anthropology student Mary Kapsak |
Although his honors capstone project represents the culmination of his undergraduate academic experience, Joshua Wu, who aspires to an academic career, said his research also marks a beginning of sorts. “This capstone is a springboard for the next few years of my research,” said Wu, an economics and international studies major, who constructed a bargaining power model to analyze the Taiwan Strait. The project, he said, is “at once both a conclusion of my undergraduate academic career and the beginning of many more years of insightful research.”
Honors Capstone Conference Award Winners
- Andrea Bottorff (CAS: Literature; SOC: Public Communication), “Multiculturalism and Universality: Cross-Cultural Myth, Fairy Tale, and Gender in Revisionist Texts”
- Constance Heiss (SOC: Journalism), “The Equal Rights Amendment Teaching Supplement”
- Katherine Meck (SIS: International Studies; Minors: Spanish/Latin American Studies, Economics), "Developing A Framework: Microfinance and Gender”
- Taryn Olsen (CAS: Psychology), “The Playwright as Psychological Mediator”
- Samantha Shterengarts (CAS: Chemistry), “The Effects of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Additives on Physical and Chemical Properties of Biopolymers”
- Joshua Su-Ya Wu (SIS: International Studies; CAS: Economics), “Game On: Constructing A Bargaining Power Model to Analyze the Taiwan Strait”
Honorable Mention
- Lynn Blubaugh (CAS: Biology), “Analysis of Hyperglycemia in Zebrafish”
- Jason Eisen (SIS: International Studies; CAS: Spanish/Latin American Studies),
- “The Price of Freedom”
- Samantha Elliott (CAS: Literature), “ ‘We’re all mad here,’ or Metaphor and Metonymy at Play in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There”
- Danielle Giusto (CAS: Music), “Music She Wrote”
- Kate Watts (SPA: Political Science; CAS: History), “Feminism and Fancy Panties: Women's Underwear and Social History 1945-1975”
- Landon Yoder (SIS: International Studies), “The Foreign Policy of Christ: Assessing the Foreign Ministry's Role According to Christ and Professing Christians”
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Wu was one of 21 students who presented their research during the annual Honors Capstone Conference, Apr. 11. After giving their 10-minute presentations, which explored an array of topics, from the AIDS epidemic in South Africa to Latin jazz to the Women’s Army Corps during World War II, the seniors took questions from professors and other students. “The experience of presenting my capstone and fielding questions has taught me to have confidence in defending and promoting my original research,” said Andrea Bottorff, a literature and public communications major, whose capstone examined cross-cultural myths, fairy tales, and gender in revisionist texts. “This type of confidence is essential for success in any future graduate program or career.” In order to accommodate demand—nearly 75 students applied to present this year, up from 60 in 2006—organizers asked 21 of the students to prepare posters detailing their work. Conference attendees enjoyed the posters and asked questions of the students during the lunch break. A panel of judges evaluated the work of all 42 students and selected six to receive the Outstanding Capstone Award, which will be presented during the honors convocation in May. About 260 students will complete capstones this year. Creativity is strongly encouraged, with seniors turning out business plans, photographs, musical compositions, and even fashion. According to Michael Mass, director of the University Honors program, the capstone “can allow students to integrate their work in a field or provide them with a welcome opportunity to follow their passion, by presenting a vocal recital, writing a novella, or even creating and staging a play,” as did three students during last week’s conference. Mary Kapsak, an anthropology major, whose research examined race through both a cultural and biological lens, said the capstone was a “great opportunity to explore a topic of interest” and work with other experts at the Smithsonian Institution and Howard University. The project, Kapsak said, “can serve as a showcase for grad school, a talking point for future employers, or as a time to discover you actually don’t like what you initially thought you did.” 
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