Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Nate Bill, Marketing
  • Adara Goslin, Music
  • Avery Lenssen, Business
  • Sayer Pescosolido, History
  • Ethan Unruh, Bible
  • Abby Weston, Math
  • Ellie Winkelman, Communication

Noon – 12:55 PM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Ava Adams, Jesus Aguilar, Tristyn Burns, Francisco Cayolla, Waylon Cosby, Max Diffenderfer, Trinity Edison, Jase Fujikawa, Roman Gabriel, Gabriel Galaviz, Michael Ho, Angel Iheanyi-Igwe, Aliyah Malone, Giorgia Medori, David Melo Chirinos, Luke Miller, Eden Moore, Agustin Morales, Will Plenkovich , Keenan Reckamp, Jaden Rok, Alexzander Stranghoener, Jose Vargas, Jessica Vasquez-Hernandez

Bushnell University Sports History Pop-Up Museum 

Step into a pop-up museum where Bushnell’s sports history becomes a window into campus life, community identity, and changing ideas about who gets to compete—and be remembered. Visitors will move through compact, story-driven stations built from archival photographs, programs, uniforms, headlines, and student voices. Expect a mix of celebration and complexity: milestones and underdogs, tradition and change, moments of belonging and moments of exclusion. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of how athletics shaped Bushnell—and how Bushnell shaped athletics.

HIST 140/340, History of Sports, Race, and Gender in American Culture

Stephen Andes

1:30 – 3 PM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Trevor Angove

The Character of the Sovereign God Revealed in Psalm 139

The doctrine of divine sovereignty has long been a debated and often misunderstood topic in Christian theology. Psalm 139 offers one of the most intimate and comprehensive portraits of God’s sovereign attributes in the Scriptures. This paper argues that God’s sovereignty, as presented in Psalm 139:1–16, serves as the means and foundation for a deeply loving, comforting, and intimate God. This is relevant for every believer who wrestles with the idea of a relational and sovereign God. This claim will be substantiated through a review of theological literature on divine omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence; an exegetical reading of Psalm 139:1–16; engagement with the Openness theology objection; and practical and devotional application drawn from both scholarly sources and homiletical reflection. Having established that God’s sovereignty is the foundation for His loving, comforting, and intimate character, we can be assured as believers that we have comfort in suffering, God’s presence in loneliness, and God’s ear in prayer.

BTM 499, Senior Capstone

David Reed

10 – 10:25 AM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Mitch Arakida, Elijah Goosby, Jada Iheanyi-Igwe, Lauren Sprengeler, Jacob Weston & Austyn Woolcott

“The Die is Cast”: Exploring History Through Play 

HIST 152 students invite audiences to learn history by doing history. Students will transform primary-source research into interactive experiences. Each project will ask participants to solve problems, make decisions, or interpret evidence while engaging a historical argument grounded in evidence. The result is a hands-on approach to the past that treats history not as passive information, but as something explored through play, experience, analysis, and reflection.

HIST 152, Western Civilization

Stephen Andes

1:30 – 3 PM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Ana Augusto

How public speaking anxiety can be reduced through preparation, rehearsal, and exposure.

Fear of public speaking, or communication apprehension, is one of the most common fears among individuals, often ranked just below the fear of death in the United States. In this sense, this project synthesizes research on public speaking to examine the relationship between speech anxiety, preparation behaviors, and performance outcomes. Findings indicate that public speaking anxiety is associated with increased fear of evaluation, nervousness, and reduced confidence, as well as less effective preparation strategies such as over researching content, excessive revision, and avoidance behaviors. In contrast, more effective speakers tend to engage in structured and audience-focused preparation, including rehearsal that simulates real speaking conditions. Research also shows that repeated exposure and active rehearsal reduce anxiety and improve fluency, organization, and overall speech performance. Importantly, anxiety does not need to be eliminated for speakers to become effective. Instead, it can be managed through deliberate practice, exposure, and cognitive strategies such as positive self-talk. Overall, the literature suggests that public speaking effectiveness develops through strategic rehearsal and repeated exposure, which help speakers regulate anxiety and improve communication performance over time.

COMM 407, Special Topics: Existing Research on Public Speaking

Doyle Srader

1 – 1:25 PM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Ana Augusto

Reclaiming the Kingdom: A Fantasy Theme Analysis of Brazilian Identity in Nike’s 2018 World Cup Advertisement

This paper applies Fantasy Theme Analysis to Nike’s 2018 World Cup advertisement featuring the Brazilian national soccer team. Through an examination of character, action, and setting themes, the analysis reveals how the artifact constructs a shared rhetorical vision centered on national identity. The advertisement calls a group into existence by drawing on history and a shared passion for soccer, showing the possibility of redemption after the loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup, which took place in Brazil. The ad presents a key temporal moment, referencing the 1998 World Cup, in which Brazil lost in the finals. However, four years later, in 2002, Brazil won its 5th world cup. By reintroducing this memory in 2018, after the difficult 2014 defeat, Nike creates a collective narrative that resonates with Brazilian soccer fans. Characters such as professional players, everyday individuals, and a young boy who emerges as a symbolic leader represent different dimensions of Brazil’s soccer culture. Recurring actions, including playing, dancing, reinforce the narrative. The varied settings, from informal street games and video games to professional arenas, highlight both the shared identity and the cultural impact of soccer in Brazil. The artifact invites the audience to reimagine Brazil as the enduring “kingdom of soccer,” emphasizing responsibility, legacy, and the possibility of future triumph even after a significant loss.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Shane Makoto Becker

Nippon Navigator

Nippon Navigator is a travel itinerary website dedicated to helping visitors new and returning to help plan their trip to the world of Japan. You can plan and edit your entire itinerary, including attractions, restaurants, sightseeing, gardens, and many more all while giving you the necessary details and ways to help you decide what to do. You can also look at information that would be useful before heading to Japan, from custom forms and VISA information, to useful apps, phrases, and even help you decide how to travel around the city and to/from the airports. My website will give users an easier experience planning their entire trip around Japan and take away the stress of planning.

The process to build the entire site all relies on my coding structure that I built entirely from scratch. It has the building blocks of HTML, CSS, and Java-script for the structure of the site. I also use the React toolkit to help give the website some fluidity and animation to make the site look professional. I also created a backend to help talk to the frontend and a database to help store user data and also store some activities data to keep the code folder clean. I also deployed the website for others to explore and take a look at the website themselves and see my project that I am proud of making.

SFTE 499, Senior Capstone

Shijo John

10 – 10:25 AM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Shane Makoto Becker, Elijah Breault, Brec Feehan, Nick Ferreira, Joao Paulo Maia, Brandon Mitchell & Judah Olson

Final Project Presentations

Students will present a Linux Raspberry Pi computer controlling a bare-metal Arduino computer, demonstrating their knowledge of assembly language, C, Python, Linux, serial communication, and networking.

SFTE 355, Computer Systems

Bryan Olmstead

11:30 – 11:55 AM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Jackson Beckham, Josey Everett, Adriana Glass, Nathan Griffiths, Jordan Lauinger, Rylan Rivera, Jasmine Roberts, Nathan Sotelo, Jacqueline Ullrich, Ty Weiskind, Lennox Zebroski & Isaac Zerwas

BTM 213 Introduction to Christian Doctrine – Class Presentations

Each student will give a three minute presentation on one of the doctrines from the Nicene Creed and its contemporary relevance. 

BTM 213, Introduction to Christian Doctrine

David Reed

2 – 3 PM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Elizabeth Box

Greater than Disagreement: Extending the Welcome of Christ to our LGBTQ+ Brothers and Sisters

There has been a rise in conversation around how to address the presence of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Church in recent years, sparking debate across denominations.  I intend to prove, through scholarly sources and research, that LGBTQ+ people can be welcomed into Christian communities to wrestle with their questions and receive Christ’s love, regardless of the church’s stance on homosexuality. This is relevant to the common man who may wonder how to minister and connect through differences in convictions. First, I will demonstrate that the LGBTQ+ community experiences pain that the Church can address. Second, I will show that Jesus’ ministry provides a model of meeting pain with love and an invitation to wrestling in relationship with God. Third, I will provide evidence that navigating relationships by addressing both personal regulation and empathetic engagement with another fosters the sense of safety necessary for sharing pain and beginning to wrestle through questions. Having established that all LGBTQ+ can be welcomed into Christian communities to wrestle with their questions and receive Christ’s love and, I will advocate that church communities should meet the pain of  LGBTQ+ community members with empathy, honor questions that they have as an opportunity to draw near to God, and celebrate the transforming work of God as it unfolds in their lives.

CM 499, Senior Capstone

David Reed

10:30 – 10:55 AM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Elizabeth Box, Mira Campanella, Lauren Cazares, Rylan Donovan, Emma Fa’alogo, Maddie Gerhart, Grace Godawa, William Haberfield, Olivia Ihle, Megan Lay, CJ Long, Tanya Manning, Rob Neill, Isabella Nunn, Taylor Pearce, Kaiya Salvo, Amyah Semau, Kylee Smith

Research in Neurodiverse Psychology for Social Benefit

This class-wide set of posters together highlight research conducted by students in PSY 420: Neurodiverse Psychology. Each student selected a distinct DSM-5-TR diagnostic category and, acting as an emerging scholar, investigated empirically-supported treatments for a particular psychological disorder by synthesizing peer-reviewed meta-analytic reports and efficacy studies. Additionally, presenters have worked to identify a prevalent myth about each diagnosis using scholarly evidence and offer verified local and regional mental health resources available to those who would benefit from such support. Finally, presenters explore how faith and cultural perspectives intersect may with evidence-based care in the category. Together, the session represents an intent to translate complex psychological research into accessible, community-relevant knowledge.

PSY 420, Neurodiverse Psychology

Reed Mueller

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Elijah Breault, Daniel Lopes, Joao Paulo Maia, Isaiah Morley, Judah Olson, Ben Patterson, Ciena Tumoine, Jose Alberto Vargas, Isaac Wagner & Kaiwi Winchester

Final Project Presentations

Each student has created a Personal Data Explorer. Based on their particular interest (sports, movies, etc), their Python program crawls the web and populates a database with this information. Their program allows a user to query this database for useful information.

SFTE 201, Programming for Everyone II

Bryan Olmstead

1 – 1:55 PM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Brec Feehan, Marlee Heiken, Michael Ho, Daniel Lopes, Kyle Solomons, Ciena Tumoine, Jose Alberto Vargas & Isaac Wagner

Final Project Presentations

Students will demonstrate their ability to deploy advanced image processing algorithms on a cloud deployed server using Docker. Students created their apps using a combination of their own code, open source code, and AI assistance, working with real-world development constraints.

CIS 450, Emergent Technologies

Bryan Olmstead

2 – 3 PM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Grace Godawa

Anorexia Nervosa: Description, Myths, Treatment, and a Christian Perspective

I will be presenting on Anorexia Nervosa; a serious psychological disorder most commonly diagnosed in female adolescence to young adults. It is characterized by restricting energy intake, a fear of becoming fat or gaining weight, and a disturbance in the way the person views their body weight and shape. I will be discussing what anorexia is and is not by dispelling some myths. I will spend most of my time evaluating evidence-based treatments such as eating disorder focused family therapy (FT-ED) and deep brain stimulation (DBS). I will also provide a resource directory for Anorexia in Lane County, as well as discuss my Christian perspective on the disorder.

PSY 420, Neurodiverse Psychology

Reed Mueller

2:30 – 3 PM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Rose Gwillim

Attachment Styles in Leadership: Implications for Leader Emergence, Communication, and Leadership Styles

In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I included 18 peer-reviewed journal articles, 10 of which were published in the past 10 years. with the purpose of examining how attachment theory can affect individuals in leadership roles. The others date back to 1992, and I also included Bowlby’s text from 1982 for his information about his foundational theory.  I focused specifically on how attachment theory can be used to better understand its effects on leader emergence, communication within organizational settings, and leadership styles. Recent research has supported that the internal working models established in early childhood carry into adult relationships. Research suggests that these implications can be applied to individuals in leadership roles because of the position’s relational component. Each study has found evidence supporting the notion that attachment styles affect people in leadership roles. Across all studies, researchers have found that securely attached individuals are more likely to be recognized as leaders than those with an insecure attachment. Researchers also have discovered a positive relationship between secure attachment and transformational leadership, a widely recognized leadership style, and a negative relationship between insecure attachment and transformational leadership. Most research that has been conducted has focused on leaders with secure attachments, so future research should focus more on leaders with insecure attachments to better understand their effects on leadership.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

11:30 – 11:55 AM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

William Haberfield

Competitive Anxiety in Youth Sports

In this capstone paper, I examine the multidimensional nature of competitive anxiety in youth sports, emphasizing the interaction between psychological and environmental factors. I reviewed 15 empirical studies between 2021 and 2026 in my evidence-based synthesis. Competitive anxiety, comprising cognitive and somatic components, can negatively affect performance, well-being, and long-term sport participation. The current literature explores how internal psychological factors, such as age, self-confidence, self-efficacy, resilience, and mental toughness, and external influences, including coaching pressure, parental expectations, and competitive context, shape anxiety experiences in youth athletes. Findings indicate that mid-adolescent athletes are particularly vulnerable to competitive anxiety due to developmental and social pressures, while increased experience and self-confidence serve as protective factors. Environmental pressures, especially from coaches and parents, are consistently linked to elevated anxiety, though emotional intelligence may mitigate these effects. Additionally, participation in higher levels of competition and team-based sports is associated with lower anxiety levels. I also evaluate intervention strategies, including psychological skills training, pre-competition routines, and enhanced social support systems, which have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing anxiety and enhancing performance. Despite limitations such as reliance on cross-sectional designs and self-report measures, the literature highlights the importance of adopting a holistic, developmentally informed approach to managing competitive anxiety. Understanding these dynamics can inform coaching practices, parental guidance, and intervention programs aimed at promoting athlete well-being, performance, and sustained engagement in sport.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

1 – 1:25 PM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Marlee Heiken

Marlee’s Capstone

Visual Robotics’ Quickpick 303 application previously featured an outdated graphical user interface and lacked integration with its newest camera capability, the Template Finder. This project aimed to modernize the application and implement this feature to enhance usability and functionality. Over the course of the semester, I developed a new version of the application using Next.js, React, and Flask, while fully integrating the Template Finder. This feature enables users to train cameras to recognize objects and automate pick-and-place operations using a Universal Robot arm. The result is a more intuitive, efficient system that improves user interaction and expands the capabilities of robotic vision applications

SFTE 499, Senior Capstone

Shijo John

10:30 – 10:55 AM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Angel Iheanyi-Igwe

Honor in Eye-gouging: Sports and Leisure as Means of Racial Enforcement in the Antebellum South

Far from being politically neutral or silent, norms surrounding sports and leisure—and often the activities themselves—work to encode and enforce sociocultural ideas surrounding class, race, and gender. In this paper I argue that the Antebellum Southern sporting and leisure tradition, especially through its modes of violence and social reaction to said violence, functioned as means to encode and enforce racial hierarchies and chattel slavery. Closely surveilled and policed access to, and performance in, sports and leisure served to reinforce ideas around honor, freedom, and right; all of which are directly tied to the racial-capitalist society of the Antebellum South. By analyzing local legislation, narratives of the enslaved, sporting newspapers, plantation journals, and personal correspondence, it becomes clear that play and recreation did not simply reflect but also reproduced and ritualized ideologies of racialized freedom and honor embedded into the racialized class system of the Antebellum South.

HIST 340, History of Sports, Gender, and Race in American History

Stephen Andes

10:30 – 10:55 AM

Goodrich 103

Return to schedule

Ayden Krupke

Forensic Taphonomy and Entomology in Post-Mortem Interval Estimation: A Multidisciplinary Framework for Criminal Investigation

The estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) remains one of the most formidable challenges of forensic science. The myriads of environmental variables that can influence decomposition encompasses this conflict. This presentation explores the critical synergy between forensic taphonomy and entomology, arguing that a multidisciplinary framework is necessary for achievement of high-precision timeline generation within criminal investigation. Beginning with a historical analysis of the 1935 Ruxton and 2002 Westerfield cases, it illustrates the foundational role that entomological evidence may play in securing legal convictions. The discussion transitions into the mechanics of decomposition, detailing both physical and chemical progression from autolysis and putrefaction to skeletonization. Key quantitative methodologies are examined, including Total Body Score (TBS), Accumulated Degree Days (ADD), and the analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Additionally, the stable isotopes within the Cadaver Decomposition Island (CI). Furthermore, this presentation highlights the precision offered by necrophagous insect succession and colonization, specifically discussing members of the Calliphoridae and Coleoptera families as indicators of the minimum PMI (mPMI). Through the synthesis of qualitative taphonomic and quantitative entomological data along with soil chemistry, investigators can mitigate environmental confounding factors such as indoor microclimates and physical barriers. This capstone concludes that the future of forensic precision is determined by the integration of overlapping clocks, supported by modernized technology like hyper-spectral imaging, to result in a holistic, legally robust reconstruction of death events.

BIOL 499, Senior Capstone

Paul Allee

11 – 11:25 AM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Sienna Lillebo

Creatine in the Body

This paper and poster examine how creatine works within the body and whether it can increase athletic abilities. Creatine is a natural compound produced in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas that is stored in the muscles and helps supply energy by supporting the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during high intensity exercise. Creatine monohydrate is the synthetic form of creatine and is commonly used to help increase muscle mass, strength, and athletic performance. By increasing phosphocreatine levels, the body is able to produce more ATP, which allows for increased strength, power output, and the ability to perform more repetitions during exercise. Creatine and creatine monohydrate also play an important role in recovery by reducing muscle stress and inflammation, increasing muscle hydration, and supporting muscle repair during recovery from injury. In addition to the physical benefits, research shows that creatine and creatine monohydrate can improve cognitive function by increasing mental energy, short-term memory, and processing speed, with clearer effects seen in older adults. While creatine monohydrate can cause minor side effects such as water retention or gastrointestinal discomfort, it is considered safe for most individuals when taken as recommended. Overall, creatine is a well researched and beneficial supplement that supports energy production, recovery, cognitive function, and performance for all individuals.

NUTR 220, Nutrition

Halle Meadows

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Turner Livingston & Maria Velarde Manzanilla

Marketing Capstone Presentations

For the digital marketing capstone, each student spent their time working with a local non-profit that was in need of marketing help. Students created strategic plans and then spent the semester implementing those plans and analyzing their results. 

During the presentation, the students will share the strategic plan they created for their nonprofit, go over the actual work they implemented and share the results they achieved. 

The students will also give overall recommendations for the nonprofits moving forward.

MKTG 499, Senior Capstone

Christy Silverthorne

1 – 1:55 PM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Stephanie Llanos-Jardon

A Generation’s need is AI’s Need

This paper applies pentadic criticism to analyze Generations of Farming with ChatGPT Super Bowl Ad 2026. The Super Bowl Ad shows how a family’s history, physical demands of maintaining acres of land, and the decreasing number of seed farmers, makes the use of artificial intelligence an inevitable necessity for survival. After identifying the act, agent, agency, scene, and purpose, this paper claims a scene > agency ratio leading to mysticism. Ultimately, this ad utilizes a scene dominant perspective to normalize artificial intelligence as a farming tool. 

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Analise Lockhart

The Bible, History and Music in Libraries

With any visit to the library is full of plenty of history books of scent with every era of time that connects to the world from scripture of scrolls to modern novels we have used in today’s society that are splits into three categories from the origins of Bible with the music soon follows after with libraries as the bridge between the past and present day the Bible is described as historical anchor that contains so many genres, prophecies, literature from other authors works was added from different translations around the world that goes through each story from old tradition that balancing on the form the earliest chants of Hebrews psalmists from the Old Testament to the structure hymns of the New Testaments that symbolize the hope and stability that present the findings that identified the cultural transmission of scared narratives with the internship with specialized of rare hymns, Psalters with resources the project ends with deepen the bridge with several studies while offering the practical insights of creation of ancient scrolls to modern technology digital copies of beautiful from stream with several patterns that shape the old traditions to new trends in fundamental element that helps with their mark from hymns to everyday music we listen to on regular basics the music is like a mirror that reflect the encouragement the insights to identify, changes and the role as human beings the last piece with the history library describe as the bridge on how does the ancient times that started as dough into several panels as the major role as they function to history and traces behind the story of the development of the story behind for future generations in the university without advance technology in the modern day with so much background information that bridge the wide space from the history from the literature to many factors on how all of these elements to keep the topic going that can be used in the future from the library intern’s perspective to keep Learning and development borders on not only reading into the lines to give as messages for other people to look up to until their next visit to the library to be more aware.

IDS 495, Internship

James Berry

11 – 11:25 AM

Goodrich 103

Return to schedule

Montanah Love

The Effects of Mental Development Programs on Competitive Anxiety in Athletes

In recent years, there has been an influx of concern for athletes’ mental health, including the overwhelming anxiety levels that they face surrounding competitions and performance. There have been protocols and programs designed or adapted to fit this rising need for tools to mitigate anxiety in athletes. In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed 15 empirical research articles published between 2021 and 2026. These articles focused on the effects of competitive anxiety on athletes’ performance or how mindfulness-based programs can decrease anxiety in athletes. I included five additional sources to define terms and gain a deeper understanding of the effects of competitive anxiety on athletes. Current research indicates that these programs are useful in reducing anxiety and improving performance and focus in athletes. Future research should include the long-term effects of mental development programs on anxiety reduction, and which categories of athletes are most affected by competitive anxiety.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

1:30 – 1:55 PM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Jane Miller

History of Women in the Church

Women are an important part of the body of Christ and have been subject to centuries of theological back and forth on their rights, positions, and roles. I intend to demonstrate, through scholarly resources and research, that women have led, taught, and held positions of authority in church history. This is relevant because it is commonly argued that women should not lead, teach, or hold positions of authority in the church, but there is a history of women doing so. Knowing this history can help the church make well-rounded decisions on women in ministry. First, I will present the history of women in the church. Second, I will present the history of theology and Biblical interpretation of women in the church, and then I will present current theology and Biblical interpretation of women in the church. Having established that there have been women leaders in church history, I will advocate that the church today should consider this history when making theological decisions on women in ministry. 

BTM 499, Senior Capstone

David Reed

11 – 11:25 AM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Gracelyn Nunn

The Impacts of Climate Change and an Ecotheological Call to Care

Climate change is a hot topic these days. Almost everyone has heard about the negative  impacts climate change is having on the environment, but it can be easy to move on and ignore these concerns. However, there are many people around the world that do not have a choice to ignore the threats of climate change because those threats are their everyday realities. In this paper I discuss the science behind climate change, debunking the beliefs that the climate change we are experiencing right now is completely natural, and exploring how what we do here in America affects people less fortunate than us, people who, despite contributing little to climate change, experience its adverse effects to a much greater degree than us. The call to action is the final part of my paper and it specifically calls christians to take these implications seriously and be stewards of the beautiful creation we are so fortunate to dwell in and be called by our loving Father to care for.

BIOL 205, Principles of Biodiversity

Paul Allee

11:30 – 11:55 AM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Sayer Pescosolido

The Third Century Crisis: A Perspective of Civilization Then and Now

The Third Century Crisis gives perspective on the economic instability, political structure, and foundation of ancient society, further helping us understand our own.

HIST 499, Senior Capstone

Stephen Andes

11:30 – 11:55 AM

Goodrich 109

Return to schedule

Annika Poet

Veterinarians are Not Just Human Doctors for Animals

Veterinarians and doctor fulfill an essential niche of society by protecting the public and promoting proper health practices. Their history, while intertwined, reveals the important differences between health professions. Years of dedication and commitment are required to complete the educational requirements, along with continual learning. Differences in species and clientele highlight the differences in clinic structures. While both face challenging scenarios daily, veterinarians must balance ethical and financial concerns, challenging clients, and distressing diagnoses while providing the best care for each animal. Despite the similarities, veterinarians are simply human doctors for animals.

BIOL 499, Senior Capstone

Paul Allee

10 – 10:55 AM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Jasmine Roberts

Adventures and Stories from Studying Abroad in South Korea.

Drawing on firsthand experiences from studying abroad in South Korea, this presentation explores culture, challenges, and personal growth. Through stories, observations, and reflection, it invites attendees to consider how new cultural environments can reshape perspectives, and encourages open discussion, questions, and insights about global learning. Attendees are encouraged to have questions of interest ready and be prepared for a conversational presentation.

GLST 295, Study Abroad

Jenee Cazares

10 – 10:25 AM

Goodrich 103

Return to schedule

Alexandra Rocha

Military Identity Disruption and Veteran Mental Health During the Transition to Civilian Life

In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed findings from 15 empirical studies published between 2021 and 2025, all of which examined military identity and veteran mental health during the transition to civilian life. I focused on how military identity disruption functions as a central factor influencing psychological outcomes among veterans following separation from service. Military identity has been conceptualized as an internalized system of values, roles, and norms developed through participation in military culture. Across the literature, researchers consistently found that the transition to civilian life involves significant changes in roles, social identity, and institutional environments, which may contribute to challenges in adjustment. Psychological factors such as trauma exposure and moral injury were associated with ongoing distress and shifts in self-concept, while institutional factors, including barriers to care and experiences of institutional betrayal, influenced help-seeking behavior. Additionally, changes in role structure and loss of purpose were identified as contributing factors to identity disruption during reintegration. The removal of clearly defined responsibilities and group-based roles was associated with difficulties in establishing new roles and maintaining a sense of direction in civilian life. Although existing research examines the challenges associated with this transition, there is limited research examining how these factors interact over time and how veterans’ strengths contribute to successful adjustment. Future research should further explore these areas to better inform institutional support systems and improve outcomes for veterans transitioning to civilian life.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

11 – 11:25 AM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Jermaine Schexnayder

Its only crazy until you do it

This Nike commercial with Serena Williams tells the story of perseverance.  this video highlights Serena Williams Journey from a young girl with Big Dreams to her playing in the US Open  and becoming the greatest in the world. Her dad is the voice speaker that you hear in the background and is talking to her throughout the whole commercial. The commercial also flips from when she was a kid back to when she’s in the US Open back to when she’s a kid and back to when she’s in the US Open. It shows real life videos and the commentary in the background is telling you why she’s doing what she’s doing. With the Relationships with act agent agencies seen and purpose throughout the commercial Agency is the main one in this commercial.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Loreto Siniscalchi

The Effects of Mind-Body Connection and Self-Talk in Athletic Competition

In this evidence based synthesis paper, I reviewed research from 16 empirical studies dated between 2020 and 2025, to address the importance of the mental side in athletic performance. It is not the only factor to consider when it comes to an athlete’s abilities in competition, rather there are a substantial number of minor factors that go into becoming an elite athlete. An increasing amount of research over the last decade suggests that psychological processes have a large effect on an athlete’s ability to perform to their full potential, specifically when considering the relationship of the mind and body during competition. One key aspect or psychological trait is the idea of self-talk, a cognitive technique athletes use to manage their in-game emotions, stay focused and improve the results of their play is a significant process, even potentially off the field as well. In this paper, I address how stress reactions, mental processes, and emotional control affect abilities during competition as well as how self-talk can be a beneficial psychological resource for all athletes at all sorts of levels. The research that has been done as of late shows that communication with oneself, emotional control, and mental exhaustion or burnout can all have a large impact on physical performances, especially when stakes begin to rise. It has been found that self-talk techniques enhance self-assurance, focus, and performance in a variety of sports or statuses. Furthermore, roles or positions involving prolonged physical stress, like pitching in baseball, emphasize the significance of resilience and emotional control when competing. I also review the significance of educating youth athletes psychological skills to promote long-term athletic growth and enjoyment of the game. Athletes, coaches and sport psychologists may be able to incorporate strategies that improve both athletic abilities and proper mentality skills with a better understanding of how these psychological processes and physical performances clash with one another.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

2 – 2:25 PM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Kyle Solomons

Bill Mate – Budget Tracking App

Bill Mate is a project that I started a while back. When I first came to the United States, I kept track of my roommates bills in a notebook. It slowly evolved into a website. At the moment, the current setup I have with my roommates has a couple components, a “Bills” google form and a “Payments” google form. Since I am the one paying all the shared expenses, its pretty straightforward; when we receive a bill, I upload it to a spreadsheet via the form, the form is linked to another form that does the split calculation, from there it goes to an html page to my roommates can view their ‘totals’ on a private site that I set up for us. At certain dates, an automatic email is sent to them with their current totals so they can see how much they owe me.

I really enjoyed working on that, so I decided to turn it into an app. I built an app that does everything my current ‘website’ does but specifically for Apple devices. There was a slight learning curve as I have never coded in swift before.

SFTE 499, Senior Capstone

Shijo John

11 – 11:25 AM

Goodrich 209

Return to schedule

Sophia Taylor

Jane Austen and Shirley Jackson: A Study of the Gothic in Literature

This project explores the gothic themes and conventions that tie the novels of Shirley Jackson and Jane Austen together, and focuses on Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Though Austen is not often considered a gothic writer, Northanger Abbey functions as a gothic parody, which simultaneously challenges and reinforces traditional conventions and themes of the gothic genre. We Have Always Lived in the Castle, on the other hand, is almost exclusively read as a traditional gothic novel written by a traditional (though female) gothic writer. Interestingly, while these books were written by different authors living in different times and societies, they share similar themes and a particular handling of female characters that disrupts the way the female had traditionally functioned within the genre. This presentation will highlight the similarities and differences in the way these writers employ the gothic to develop their feminist themes.

ENG 417, Studies in American Literature: American Gothic

Connie Diffenderfer

10:30 – 10:55 AM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Jacqueline Ullrich

MTV Anti-Bullying: A Pentadic Analysis of MTV’s Anti-Bullying Ad

This paper features a pentadic rhetorical critique to analyze MTV’s Anti-Bullying advertisement, released in the early 2010s. The ad shows a student observing another student being bullied by a group of others. The relationships between the act, agent, agency, scene, and purpose throughout the ad leads MTV to suggest that bystanding is a huge problem in our society. Overall, this analysis shows that MTV’s expresses how bullying is not only an isolated act but a product of an online environment that is shaped by technology and language.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

Abby Weston

Binary Pullback Parking Functions

In this talk I will introduce parking functions, specifically, the weakly increasing and decreasing binary pullback parking functions. After briefly reviewing the background and motivation for the project, I will present some of the findings from my research over the summer at the Combinatorics and Coding Theory in the Tropics REU at the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce.

My project focused on a generalization known as the (k, l)-pullback parking functions. In this case, each car can park in its preferred spot, k spots behind its preferred spot, or l spots ahead of it. I will then introduce the binary pullback parking functions, a special case that restricts the parameters of the (k, l) pullback parking functions. 

The main result of this presentation is the bijection between the weakly increasing and the weakly decreasing binary pullback parking functions, given by a simple formula that acts as a mirror.

MATH 499, Senior Capstone

Connie Wilmarth

10 – 10:25 AM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Ellie Winkelman

Together We Play: A Pentadic Analysis of Nike’s You Can’t Stop Us COVID-Era Advertisement

This paper features a pentadic rhetorical critique to analyze Nike’s You Can’t Stop Us advertisment, released during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The ad shows different athletes overcoming challenges to play and emphasizes unity and resilience.  The relationships between the act, agent, agency, scene, and purpose throughout the ad leads Nike to suggest that sports can bring people together and create positive change.  Overall, this analysis shows Nike’s message goes beyond athletics and emphasizes how collective effort can make the world a better place.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – noon

L203

Return to schedule

The State of Teaching at Bushnell University

In the Fall 2025 term, a call went out for nominations of Bushnell students who had demonstrated by their observable behaviors that they were committed to approaching their classes as opportunities to learn, not simply to manipulate the class environment for high grades or other indirect rewards. Those nominees were named Bergquist Laureates. The award is named for Dr. Tim Bergquist, the founder of ACE Day, who loved to encourage students to be scholars. At noon, the Bergquist Laureates will participate in a panel whose topic is the elements of Bushnell classes that help them learn, things that do not help them learn, and things they wish they would see that would help them learn. Bushnell faculty are invited to attend to listen.

The panelists:

  • Ana Augusto
  • Deborah Leos
  • Noah Mancione
  • Carolyn Ruiz-Moreno
  • Martha Valverde

Noon – 1 PM

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Giovanni Agogliati, Anette Avila, Eryx Awaya, Makai Barr, Trenton Battle, Tyler Bidding, Ally Bruner, Mira Campanella, Marina Castaneda, David Melo Chirinos, Waylon Cosby, Elizabeth Ekwere, Nevan Englin, Jayden Fuchigami, Gabriel Galaviz, Elijah Goosby, Nicolas Guerrero, Carly Hanna, Trison Hedges, Hannah Luise Irrgang, Kamdyn Janshen, Kaylee Lundeen, Boyd Messman, Mason Millar, Janaiya Miller, Landyn Munyon, Eli Pupo, Keenan Reckamp, Carlos Henriquez Rojas, Griffin Sanchez, Mikiah Southmayd, Katie Spillum, Alexzander Stranghoener & Blake Thornton

Marketing 230 Richardson Sports Expo Competition

Each Intro to Marketing student group has created a new product idea and marketing campaign that they will pitch to Richardson Sports. The Marketing Manager from Richardson will be here to pick his favorite product.  There will also be a Visitor’s Choice Award given to the group with the most votes from the guests.

MKTG 230, Intro to Marketing

Christy Silverthorne

10 AM – Noon

Goodrich 104

Return to schedule

Giovanni Agogliati, McKenzie Bowling, Terren Crabb, Ryan Demoss, Clayton Dewitt, Christiane Diaz, Awbrey Flowers, Jayden Fuchigami, Alanah Garcia, Reyn Gaspar, Konstantinos Gavriel, Adrianna Glass, William Haberfield, Mana Heffernan, Hannah Luise Irrgang, Annika Kimball, Grace Godawa (Kitchens), Bella Martinez, Boyd Messman, Janaiya Miller, Aisha Mohamad Salim, Emily Pacheco, Chace Pence, Ethan Price, Rain Reano, Lola Rebuck, Carlos Segura, Synnove Slayden, Delaney Sullivan, Aaron Villa, & Claire Wright

Playing with World History: From Primary Sources to Interactive Experiences

For ACE Day, students in World History to 1500 will present interactive learning activities grown from their primary-source textbook investigations. Working in House Groups, each team advances a historical thesis supported by primary and secondary sources. Audiences will engage, decide, and solve—playtest a thesis-driven board game; step into a living-history station or historical role-play; or listen to excerpts of a podcast. Every activity asks participants to weigh evidence, practice historical reasoning, and see how narrative persuades. The aim is to make solid claims about the past, invite the public to test them, and leave with a clearer understanding of how we know.

HIST 161 World History to 1500

Stephen Andes

1 – 3 PM

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Makenzie Alexander

How does teamwork between teachers, students, and parents help create a stronger, more positive classroom environment?

This paper looks at how teamwork between teachers, students, and parents helps build a stronger and more positive classroom environment. I chose this topic because I believe that learning becomes way more meaningful when everyone works together. When students support each other, teachers show a lot of collaboration, and parents stay involved, children feel more encouraged and connected. This topic matters to me because I want to create a classroom where everyone feels valued, included, and part of a community. As a future teacher, I want to understand how to build and maintain these relationships so that teamwork can truly help students grow and succeed.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

Goodrich 204

Return to schedule

Ana Augusto

The Impact of Excessive Smartphone and Social Media Use on College Students’ Ability To Sustain Focus, Maintain Productivity, and Think Creatively

The use of smartphones and social media is becoming increasingly prominent, directly modifying the way humans interact with the world around them. Although these technologies offer convenience and access to information, they also negatively impact university students’ focus and productivity, as excessive use has been associated with neurological and cognitive changes. In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed 21 empirical studies published between 2016 and 2025, all of which examined the effects of excessive smartphone and social media use on focus, productivity, and creative thinking among university students. The studies indicated that constant exposure to information promotes cognitive overload, which in turn reduces individuals’ ability to sustain attention. This may be associated with structural and functional brain changes similar to those observed in behavioral addictions, even though the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) does not recognize smartphone addiction as a formal condition. Excessive smartphone use has been shown to be related to difficulties with multitasking, fear of missing out (FOMO), and nomophobia, which is a psychological fear of being disconnected from one’s smartphone. These factors may compromise self-regulation and academic performance in university students. A curious finding was the concept of technoference, in which the mere presence of the device, which may negatively affect concentration and learning due to the habitual urge to check messages and social media. Not all studies have pointed in the same direction regarding excessive smartphone use and academic performance. Some researchers have suggested that smartphone use does not necessarily affect performance directly, but rather through mediating factors such as procrastination and mind-wandering. Small sample sizes and geographical restrictions were limitations in the studies I reviewed. Future research should explore strategies to promote healthy digital habits so that technology use enhances, rather than hinders, students’ academic performance and well-being.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

Goodrich 209

10:30 – 11 AM

Return to schedule