Honors College Capstones
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/17056
Browse
Browsing Honors College Capstones by Type "Capstone"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 49
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item A Daughter's Story: Utilizing Movement to Cope with Grief(2023-05) Mann, Ashley; Baer, AnaDance is a vehicle for expressing emotions. Dancers use movement to convey a story, communicate their feelings, and connect with others. Healing a soul through movement is a concept that people have implemented for centuries. This creative capstone seeks to recognize the relief dance provides for an individual. By implementing dance to cope from a loss, the brain releases neurotransmitters and endorphins which is proven by scientists to alleviate stress. There is a general understanding that our minds cannot affect the health of our body. However, stress from a loss will negatively affect the body as well. This capstone demonstrates the power movement has on the healing process. The story portrayed in this video is from the perspective of a daughter grieving a loss. The timeline of the video mimics my experience of grieving the loss of my father. I filmed a single dancer throughout her grieving stages. The dancer communicates her thoughts and emotions with movement. The emotions felt by the audience, accompanied by her apparent psychological development, communicates how movement aids healing to the audience. This experiment is comprised of cinematography collaborated with site-specific installations following a single subject. In the video, the dancer begins on a bridge, riddled with denial. She transcends through the stages of grief and finds herself in a space where the audience sees her progression through various emotions. The ending reveals the dancer embracing her future at the bottom of the bridge, the very place she was too afraid to go. Grieving appears different from subject to subject. One of the main messages is that grief does not routinely follow a linear progression. Additionally, the creative process behind this capstone’s construction promoted the development of the healing journey. In conclusion, expressing emotion through movement is a positive outlet for those experiencing grief to process their emotions, communicate their story, and discover a connection with others.Item A Local Solution to Plastic Pollution(2023-12) Quinto, Michael; Talley, AustinPlastic pollution is a well-known issue across the globe with staggering facts such as: “Only 9% of all plastic produced has been recycled,” and “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating island of plastic waste spanning an area that is over twice the size of the state of Texas.” Locally, this issue persists as 73% of Texas resident’s recycling bins go to the landfill and most municipal recycling facilities only recycle two types of plastic. The driving question behind my capstone was: How can we as consumers take plastic recycling into our own hands? Over the past three years, I have been working to build a plastic recycling workspace on campus. Using the available equipment in the Ingram Hall Makerspace I have built a series of small-scale recycling machines to process plastic for recycling. Using compression and injection molding techniques, we can take post-consumer plastic waste and repurpose it into new products. But there is more work to do like improvements to the machines and optimized processes that future Texas State students can tackle in the next three-to-five years.Item Anxiety in the General Population vs. Athletes: Differential Causes and Treatments(2023-12) Hewig, Carley; Osborne, RandallAnxiety is the intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations and is often accompanied by fast heart rate, sweating, and feelings of tiredness. Everyone will experience anxiety sometime in their life, some people more than others. In today’s world, one important group of people that tends to suffer from anxiety is athletes. People tend to idolize them and put pressure on them to perform their absolute best. But at what cost? This research compares causes of anxiety in the general population versus athletes. Research shows that most anxiety in the general population is caused by things like sleep deprivation, being overcaffeinated, or sitting down for too long. On the other hand, athletes’ anxiety mainly stems from fear of failure, public scrutiny, impractical expectations, and so much more. This research also addresses the most commonly used techniques for treating anxiety in athletes versus the general public. Although some of these techniques can work for both – such as breathing techniques, positive self-talk, and muscle relaxation – there are treatments that are more specific for the primary causes of anxiety in athletes. Furthermore, this work explores the differences in causes of anxiety in individual versus team sport athletes and considers whether the treatment techniques differ. Lastly, to understand how this relates to athletes today, a case study is proposed, and a treatment plan is developed that works best for this athlete.Item Arms Control and Deterrence Theory in the Nuclear Policy of Global Powers(2023-12) Acree, Mackenzie; Doyle, Thomas; Popescu, IonutThis research project explores the relationship between deterrence theory and arms control in the nuclear policies of the United States, Russia, and China. The centrality of nuclear deterrence in defense policy negates the possibility of nuclear disarmament. Within the current nuclear order, mutual deterrence dynamics are modulated by arms control agreements which promote cooperation between nuclear weapon states (NWS) on limiting their strategic weapons and preventing nuclear conflict. The three NWS relevant to this study hold diverse and sometimes conflicting strategic aims. While American nuclear policy is outwardly based on deterrence theory, it often seeks to undermine the effects of mutual deterrence in order to further its own national interests. The American nuclear umbrella presents a specific strategic challenge as North Atlantic treaty Organization (NATO) allies have faced increasing revisionist aggression from Russia. Russia has leveraged its coercive capacity in the illegal invasion of Ukraine and suspension of a key arms control treaty, the New Strategic Arms Reduction treaty (New START), which have disrupted the status quo nuclear order. I argue that this presents the greatest current threat to stability. Our European adversary’s recent actions have also complicated the American relationship with China, the world’s fastest growing NWS. Differences in strategic thinking between American and Chinese leaders must be understood by both sides in order to effectively cooperate on nuclear security concerns. I put forth that bilateral Sino-American arms control talks may be the best avenue for maintaining the balance of power and preventing nuclear use. I further argue that a condition of minimal nuclear deterrence is our best bet for maintaining that norm of non-use. This transition would allow for continued mutual deterrence while increasing the cost of first use and thus reducing the likelihood of both accidental and intentional nuclear use.Item Art, Music, and Dungeons and Dragons: An Exploration of Postmodern Creativity(2023-05) Wright, Audra; Ippolito, MichaelThe element of chance is a fundamental aspect of life that has been the topic of much philosophical exploration. Throughout history and flourishing in the 20th century artists, musicians, and other creators alike sought ways to include aleatory, or chance, in their work. Through a personal exercise in using chance in the creative process, I composed a musical work which utilizes the dice rolls from a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and converts them into pitches. As the world of indeterminate artworks continues to grow, this paper seeks to explore the various ways in which creators have worked in tandem with chance to imbue their creations with a certain humanity that determinism cannot replicate. That is, how can leaving some elements of creative endeavors up to chance, paradoxically, make them more “human,” and how has chance given my composition a life of its own?Item Attachment Anxiety, Rape Myth Acceptance, and Sexual Compliance: A Replication and Extension(2023-05) Price, Jon'Dasha; Roche, SeanUnwanted sexual encounters include a broad spectrum of behaviors that may include sexual coercion and regretted sex to sexual assault and rape. While there has been a substantial amount of research investigating rape and perceptions of rape, few studies have investigated sexual compliance (engaging in sexual activity while not desiring it) and the causes of sexual compliance. Brewer and Forrest-Redfern (2022) hypothesized that attachment anxiety (AA) and rape myth acceptance (RMA) influence perceptions of unwanted sex and influence individual experiences of sexual compliance. The researchers found women who scored high on the AA scale were less likely to endorse confrontation of an offender and were also more likely to report individual experiences of unwanted sex. However, their participant pool was restricted to women in heterosexual relationships. The present study replicates Brewer and Forrest-Redfern, and the participant pool is expanded to investigate how AA and RMA influence perceptions of unwanted sex and individual experiences of sexual compliance for men and non-heterosexual individuals. Regression models with statistical interaction terms for gender and sexual identity explore the relationship between AA and compliance and between RMA and compliance, and how it may differ across different gender and sexual identities. The implications of this study, its limitations, and directions for future research will be discussed.Item Beyond the Frames: Unveiling the Depth of Early 2000s South and Southeast Asian Female Characters(2023-12) Mangadu, Preethi; Balzhiser, DeborahThe early 2000s was a time of Juicy Couture, iPods, Beyblades, and more, but it was also when multiculturalism was starting to be reflected more in English-language films and shows. South and Southeast Asian women were a group who began to be showcased but were only authentically portrayed on occasion. This research uses framing theory to see how early 2000s media depicted and viewed South and Southeast Asian women through stereotypes and archetypes. To explore further, this study analyzes how Jess Bharma from Bend It Like Beckham and London Tipton from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody are framed through feminist and critical race theories and compares them to broadly known stereotypes and archetypes derived from those theories such as “the nerd,” “the comedic relief”, and the “exotic other.” Before going further, it is important to note that this project is severely limited as South and Southeast Asians, especially women, were not given lead roles in English-language media as often, especially with character traits that differed from common stereotypes, so when Jess and London were, audiences perceived them as exceeding the norm. This research compares these characters, stereotypes, and archetypes to identify whether Jess’s and London’s individuality beyond stereotypes is surface level, fully developed, or a little bit of both. These results then discuss how the characters socially mirror the creator’s worldview, which can further reflect collective societal and individual perceptions and give a lens into a fragment of the early 2000s.Item Beyond the Tournament: Bridging the Gap Between Collegiate Forensics and the Outside World(2023-12) Bass, Haley; Miller, Joshua; Paz, Mark"Beyond the Tournament” is a podcast series that interviews collegiate forensics competitors—that is, collegiate speech and debate competitors—about the speeches and pieces they competed with during the 2022-2023 academic year. Each episode interviews a unique competitor from universities across the United States, speaking about an individual speech and debate “event.” The format of each episode first explores the nature and rules of the event in question, then interviews a competitor about their experience performing that event, and finally concludes with a recording of the piece itself. Through the podcast medium, this project attempts to examine the gap between the insular speech and debate community as the typical audience of these competitors and a more diverse, outside audience. Though not all speech and debate events are persuasive in nature, all seek to examine a social or political phenomenon and either persuade an audience to shift their perspective or broaden their knowledge base. Because of the inherent demographic similarities among the competitors and judges who traditionally view these events, I ask competitors to examine whether the typical tournament audience can be persuaded or affected by their pieces. Finally, by publicly posting their interviews, I give them access to a more diverse audience typical of the world outside of collegiate forensics and open the door to outside engagement with the speech and debate community.Item Bloody and Biting Comedy: Examining Humor and Horror in Modern Irish Literature(2023-05) Pulido, Brooke Avery; McCormick Weng, JulieIreland is known for a rich comic tradition within its culture and literature. Vivian Mercier's The Irish Comic Tradition offers a breakdown of the history and techniques of this tradition, while Theresa O'Conner traces this tradition among Irish women in her book, The Comic Tradition in Irish Women Writers. By studying Mercier and O'Conner's work, as well as that of Irish writers widely recognized for these comic techniques, this research develops a model that can then be applied to Bram Stoker's horror novel, Dracula, and Marina Carr's play, By the Bog of Cats. These works both incorporate elements of humor with dark themes and were written 100 years apart, demonstrating the continuation of this tradition. More broadly, these texts are used to explore the relationship between horror and comedy and how the mixing of these genres can be used to effectively address important social issues in the modern era.Item Buttercup(2023-05) Sanchez, Sandra; Morille, JordanI wrote a short story that is about how different people react to family tragedy. The story will be titled Buttercup. It focuses on a 20 year-old college girl, Lucy, whose father passed away from a long illness when she was younger, and how his death has affected her long term. She struggles with sharing her emotions with others, which has caused her to be very closed off and occasionally suffer from panic attacks. I wrote this story because I believe people should know that dealing with tragedy comes in many forms. My goal is to unpack the effects of tragedy and tell a story of how not all people handle tragic events the same way. Many people grieve differently than others; some are transparent with their feelings and emotions while others are completely closed off. I’m hoping that sharing Lucy’s journey with grief and death will help others come to terms with their own grief that they may carry. The audience I envision for this short story are young adults (18-24) who may have experienced loss in their life and are still trying to understand their relationship with grief and trauma. I want my audience to think about how their personal loss has affected them growing up, and hopefully come to terms with how they have been handling their trauma. The story will be a non-fiction piece because I wanted to challenge myself to write creatively. I was influenced by a few pieces of art and literature to come up with the idea for this project. One piece that influenced me is The Arsonists written by Jacqueline Goldfinger. This play examines a woman who must come to terms with the death of her father, and it highlights the internal struggle she faces. I read this play almost a year ago, and even then I was fascinated with how the story was told. I hope to use this play as a piece of inspiration in my writing. Overall, I hope that my project will help others who have experienced grief come to terms with their inner feelings. Good or bad.Item Can I Borrow a Cup of Sugar?(2023-05) Stein, Hayven; Zmikly, JonI created a 360-video horror short film that should be watched in virtual reality headset. The film is about a pair of neighbors, Mina and Seth. Mina and Seth are both college students who meet at the beginning of the academic year. As we follow them through their college journey the viewer will get to watch Seth become obsessed with Mina. Eventually, Seth drills a hole in their shared wall and becomes a peeping tom. This hole is how the viewer will experience the 360-video effect. The viewer can watch Mina in her dorm but when they turn around, they can also watch Seth descend into madness over his obsession with Mina. The film then shows the juxtaposition of Mina and Seth’s growing friendship and Seth’s obsession with Mina. When Mina decides to move out of the country Seth, in a fit of rage, murders her and while he is distraught after killing Mina, he then kills himself.Item Change in the Music Industry? In Your Wildest Dreams! One Indie Band's Experience(2023-05) Zarate, Ivan; Martinez, Gilbert D.The music industry we see today has become the subject of a massive overhaul with the introduction of social media. Social media has amplified the presence of music in each person's everyday life, affecting how an artist navigates the music industry. Using present and past literature along with an interview with an amateur artist, I will attempt to create a guide for the new artist. The problems we see major artists go through are notable examples of how change in the industry is so big that it must come from the top of the pillar. These problems are universal, and new artists face these problems on a minuscule scale though the implications they have on their financial livelihood are greater. Social media has made an impact on the music industry, but has it benefited artists? These findings will educate music industry newcomers and will help them succeed.Item Characterization of RNF175, A Novel Ring Finger E3 Ligase(2023-05) Perez Espinosa, Jennifer; Vargas, MicaelaRING finger (RNF) proteins are a class of E3 ligases involved in processes such as cell division, interferon signaling, proinflammatory pathways, and growth factor signaling to name a few. Although many RNF isoforms have been characterized and associated with their respective functions, RNF175 has yet to be characterized and its regulatory mechanisms remain undefined. In this study we elucidate the characterization and associated pathways of RNF175. However, of the E3 ligase family, RNF121 shares close homology to RNF175. We hypothesize that RNF175 will resemble characteristics and mechanisms like RNF121. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Genome Data Analysis Center (GDAC), RNF175 is a differentially expressed RING finger protein in glioma cancer cells and high expression of this gene is associated with low survivability of glioma patients. Using bioinformatics, we show, many transcription factor binding sites were found to be prominent in the promoter of this gene, including GR𝛽/𝛼, FOXA1, AP-2𝛼, and C/EBP. These transcription factors are known to regulate inflammatory responses, cell division, chromatin remodeling, and cell differentiation. Different protein motifs were identified, one being the FYVE motif which binds to PI3P, a phospholipid protein involved in the AKT survival pathway. In addition to the zinc finger binding domain the protein contains 5 transmembrane regions. Microarray shows differential expression of RNF175 in MCF10A human mammary epithelial cell line, upregulation in neutrophil cells during inflammatory responses and high expression in the brain. These data show RNF175 interactions with the AKT, ERAD pathway, and cytoskeletal proteins as their protein binding partners. Additional studies will need to confirm if RNF175 is of clinical significance for a diagnostic marker and its role in glioma cancers.Item Chickasaw Cartography: Comparing Historical and Modern Maps of the Sovereign Chickasaw Nation(2023-12) Smith, Alexandra; Giordano, AlbertoThis paper collects sources of maps, treaties, and other relevant writing to explore the location of the Chickasaw Nation since the eighteenth century. In addition, I will use my learning of cartographic aspects and techniques to compare historic spatial depictions of the Indigenous community to that of their current geographic representations. Prior to discussing such findings, it is pertinent to acknowledge that studies on any Native entity are complex, as even a narrow scope often requires researchers to have a broader understanding of the historical, political, and cultural influences at play. Thus, a literature review is necessarily included for accurate descriptions of such.Item Combating Russian Aggression through Board Games(2023-05) Macias, Regina; Winchell, AnneAt approximately 5:17pm on May 13th, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot four times as he entered St. Peter’s square in the Vatican City. A man by the name of Mehmet Ali Agca claimed responsibility for he attempted murder and was promptly arrested. Scholars tend to agree that Mehmet was only able to achieve his level of mobility through the assistance of the KGB. The question, as it stands now, is how students can be taught about this event in history to further emphasize Russian aggression. Educators note that there are some possible benefits to implementing board games into historical lessons. In order for such a game to be successful in the classroom considerations of the game design should be guided by pedagogy. Through the history of the attempted murder of John Paul II in tandem with a review of educational pedagogy this thesis will explore and develop a board game that calls attention to Russian aggression.Item Comparative Social Work Ethics and Environmental Justice(2023-05) Torres, Gloria Micaela; McGee, StacieAuthor chose the topic of environmental justice for study for the purpose of increasing awareness to ignite conversations about the topic and provide linkage to social work social justice discussions. The research presented in this thesis highlights the inclusion of environmental justice in global social work codes of ethics. Furthermore, the research will serve to ignite a global conversation about social work and environmental justice. Social work is a profession that focuses on people and their environments. This is represented in ethical standards, where the common goal is to promote human well-being and social progress. This thesis emphasizes the need for environmental justice statements throughout social work foundational guidelines, through addressing gaps in current accreditation standards.Item Creativity in Art Education: A Documentary(2023-12) Yoo, Gina; Summers, Emily J.; Fong, CarltonThis documentary plus its accompanying written script provides ocular evidence to creativity in art, both in and beyond the classroom. Society—especially its students—need examples of visual expression, in part through art within school contexts. I explore how art teachers offer fun alongside policy constraints. Through this documentary I explore how educators, parents, and art in public spaces and student portfolios inspires and affirms community, connection, and individual points-of-view. I conducted interviews with parents and art teachers, alongside capturing public and student-created art.Item 'Decimel': My Journey in Sound(2023-05) Wedige, Melanie; Erickson, MarkAs a Sound Recording Technology major, one of my last requirements for graduation is submitting my senior portfolio. This dissertation showcases the portfolio I created over the course of my 4 years here at Texas State University and my journey. It details the amount of thought, effort, and time that went into each project, from start to finish. It covers the struggles I faced and how I overcame them. This covers my journey with sound. How I felt when I first entered the program and how I feel going out. How the experiences I gained and opportunities I received changed my interests and thoughts about my future. This paper is an exploration and reflection of every step I took to make it where I am today and what I’ve accomplished.Item Democracy or Bust! A Comparative Analysis on Trump Authoritarianism(2023-05) McKinion, Taylor; Faber, MichaelThe focus of this paper is to compare the authoritarian and populist tendencies of Former President Donald Trump with those of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and Vladimir Putin and how they use them to consolidate power amongst their supporters. I examined campaign speeches, press conferences, and social media posts to find that they each share tendencies that create fear and hostility to those outside of the homogenic group due to the leader’s narratives. Moreover, the three share election tendencies that interrupt the democratic process. I used a chronological approach to analyze the three leaders by showing the different stages of authoritarianism they are all in. Putin already has full control of Russia, however, AMLO and Trump are still on the borderline of being considered authoritarian leaders.Item Enhancing or Distorting Vision: Examining How Texas Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Groups Frame Social Media Messages(2023-05) Murphy, Travis; Haigh, Michel M.; Grimes, TomThe purpose of this study was to compare the frames used in pro-choice and pro-life nonprofit social media posts. Two periods of time were examined. Seven days before and after Politico published a draft majority opinion from the Supreme Court. An additional seven days were examined before and after the court released their opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. A frame is how a story is told - things omitted and included. How a story is packaged is significant because it influences what information the public has available to form an opinion. A content analysis was conducted of the social media posts (N = 205) of four Texas nonprofit groups tied to the abortion debate. Results indicate there were differences in the frames employed between the two groups as well differences found for frames used before and after the Politico leak.
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »