Senior Capstone Experience by William Reid ’21 Submitted to the Department of Environmental Science Advised by Dr. Jill Bible Description: Little penguins (Eudyptula minor) live exclusively on the Australian continent on the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. Humans have historically interacted with little penguins in negative ways, but the contemporary urbanization of society has greatly increased the harmfulness…

Senior Capstone Experience by Katy Shenk ’21 Submitted to the Department of History Advised by Professor Janet Sorrentino Description: In 1976, the White House organized a science and technology exposition in conjunction with the Bicentennial celebration, or the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution. While the majority of Bicentennial programming focused on the past, this…

Senior Capstone Experience by Maggie Witham ’21 Submitted to the Department of Biology Advised by Dr. Mindy Reynolds Description:  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder of the reproductive endocrine system that affects 6-20% of pre-menopausal women worldwide. Disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) and its upstream control counterparts are thought to lead to the development of PCOS. The…

By Meagan Kennedy ’24, an English major and Creative Writing, and Art & Art History minor. The following work was created for FYS 101: Feminism and the #MeToo Movement Brief description: “The Eradication of Misogynoir Culture in Black Communities: How Stereotypes Perpetuate a Rape Culture” is an exploration of the defining stereotypes of Black women…

By: Emma Russell ’23 The following was created for FYS 101: Jane Austen and Fan Culture. One often hears about stories that last the test of time. The reason they tend to do so is that people still find them relevant in their current era. Jane Austen’s novels, which were strictly placed during the Regency…

By: Julianna Sterling ’23, an International Studies and Economics major, French minor. The following work was created for FYS 101: Ethics of Humanitarianism. Brief description: This literature is a call to action for increased recognition of dehumanization’s role in societal trends in order to prevent its negative, long-term effects which manifest in the forms of…

By: Joshua Torrence ’24, an English and Psychology major, and Creative Writing and Medieval/Early Modern Studies minor. The following work was created for FYS 101: King Arthur: From Myth to Modernity. Brief description: Tennyson’s Idylls of the King is a classic. However, it was also written throughout the Victorian era in Britain, where notions of…

By: Alaina Perdon, an Environmental Studies major, and Anthropology & Chesapeake Regional Studies minor. The following was created for ANT 107: Introduction to Environmental Archaeology. Brief Description: As modern humans, we view ourselves as completely removed from earlier iterations of people, failing to dignify them with deeper anthropogenic traits like emotions. This essay examines the…

By: William Reid, an Environmental Science and Theatre major. The following work was created for ENV 294: Special Topics: Disease Ecology. Brief description: This piece details the HIV epidemic in the late 20th century and the various stigmas that the LGBTQ+ community faced during it, specifically gay and trans individuals. As a queer individual, I…

By: Julianna Sterling ’23, an International Studies and Economics major, and French minor. The following work was created for POL 201: Theories of Peace and Conflict. Brief description: Intranational and domestic policies are frequently formulated on assumptions of economic and political theories, especially using theories which claim causational relationships exist between economic inequality and conflict….

By: Annalie Buscarino ’21, an English and Sociology double major and Creative Writing; Psychology; and Justice, Law, and Society triple minor. The following work was written for ENG 394: Special Topic Jane Austen Brief description: Jane Austen’s Persuasion narrates the romantic endeavors of Anne Elliot as she silently navigates her identity after losing access to…

By: Kat DeSantis ’22, a Political Science and Philosophy major. The following was created for the Roy Ans Research Fellowship on the Study of Jewish Life and Thought at Washington College. Brief description: “Mitigating Risk While Maintaining Community: An Examination of the Effect of the Rise in Antisemitism on the American Reform Jewish Community” examines…

By: Iskandar Haggarty The following work was written for ENG 470: Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison’s novels Beloved and A Mercy both deal with a common thread; motherly sacrifice and its correlation to maternal love. In both novels, the mother character forfeits her child to, in her eyes, “save” them from harm – whether from their current…

By: Emily Hurley ’22, an Economics and Philosophy major and Asian Studies minor. The following work was created for ECN 317: Environmental Economics Brief description: Composting is an easy way to reduce carbon emissions and the impact of harmful landfills. However, composting on a municipal scale can be expensive for local governments who prioritize short-term…

By: Alaina Perdon ’22, an Environmental Studies major, and Anthropology & Chesapeake Regional Studies minor. The following was created for ANT 305: Ethnographic Methods. Brief Description: The state of New Jersey regularly issues a “State of the Bay” address to update citizens on the status of restoration projects being carried out in Barnegat Bay. Though…

By: Iyonna Young ’22, a Business Management and Political Science major, and Spanish minor. The following work was created for POL 390: Political Science Internship. Brief description: Have you ever noticed that your congressperson may not actually have a thorough or complete idea about the science behind much of the legislation they present? STEM and its…