Author: Mitchell Davis

Alexis Heenan 

The Body is Not a Machine: Understanding Addiction

In this evidence-based synthesis paper I incorporate research discovered in 22 peer-reviewed journals to propose an alternative approach to understanding addiction. I introduce the paper with an illustration of French philosopher, René Descartes’ metaphysical theory of substance dualism in efforts to introduce Western medicine’s biomedical system which views the human body as a working machine with individual parts. I include descriptions of addiction, substance, and addictive behavior as defined by the American Psychological Association. I dissect the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ description of addiction. Furthermore, I use scientific evidence to differentiate two opposing arguments defending the definition of addiction: the Brain Disease Model of Addiction and the Addiction Theory Network. I acknowledge and explain three prevalent addictions in the United States: (1) food, (2) technology, and (3) drugs. After careful ingestion of the data presented, the reader may come to understand that the biomedical approach in Western healthcare is counterproductive in understanding and treating those with addiction or addictive behavior. In opposition to substance dualism, and through the integration of various research, I offer that addiction can be most understood when the mind and the body are viewed to be one whole rather than two halves of the human being.

PSY499- Senior Capstone

Dr. Erin Mueller

1pm – P103

Andrew Lindley

Bushnell Cafeteria Offerings Survey and Analysis

This study seeks to improve the Bushnell dining experience by utilizing statistical methods. Using data gathered by a specific survey process, this project will uncover what meals students like, what meals students don’t like, and what can be done to better the cafeteria in light of these discoveries. The data collection design, data visualization, and statistical methods used in determining results will all be presented and explained. The end goal is an unbiased and accurate study that equips our staff to provide the best possible dining experience at Bushnell.

MATH499- Senior Capstone

Dr. Connie Wilmarth

10:30am – P003

Annika Poet

Dogs: A Species Unlike Any Other

This presentation will cover the uniqueness of domesticated dogs. I will cover artificial selection and a small history of the domestication of wolves into dogs. I will explain the American Kennel Club and the multitude of breeds of dogs with their purposes. Lastly, I will examine the differences in the different breeds throughout the years. 

BIOL205- General Biology

Dr. Paul Allee

10am – L204

Autumn Arcangel & Alexus Hernandez

Trouble in Paradise?

Abstract- The focus of this presentation is to highlight the troubles that tourism can bring to small tourist destinations. Sometimes tourists who travel to certain destinations fail to take proper precautions and do their research, which can often lead to dangerous or unfortunate situations for the locals and tourists. In this project, we will be looking at Oahu, Hawai’i and how tourism affected the land and the locals. After researching, we found that tourism for Hawai’i cause a lot of problems and dangerous situations. This project is not to bash on tourists but to bring awareness for small tourist destinations like Hawai’i. We will be focusing on economy, society/culture, and environment. 

BUS207- Travel and Tourism

Dr. Pete Diffenderfer

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Benjamin Randol 

Employee Right to Privacy vs. Employer’s Need to Know (Private Business)

In Desilets v. Walmart (1999), the district court decided that Walmart had violated its employees’ privacy rights by using hidden taping devices to record private conversations. While most privacy laws are loose when it comes to on-site camera recordings, this case decision redefines employee privacy rights in the workplace. 

BUS370- Legal & Ethical Issues in Business & Management

Dr. Latrissa Neiworth

11:30am – P103

Benjamin Randol

The Story of a Colonel and How the Artillery He Commanded Forever Changed American Military History

Of all the new military technologies used during the American Civil War, the one that had the most influence on American military history was light artillery as its lighter structure enabled more maneuverability, the accuracy of new rifled guns made artillery units more crucial in battle, and the resulting victory of the Union lead to the creation of other mobile artillery technologies, including the modern tank.

HIST499- History Capstone

Dr. Melisa Berry

Bushnell History Symposium (L203: 2:30-4:30pm)

Benjamin Randol

The French Revolution: social, political, or economic revolution?

The French Revolution was more of a social revolution than a political or economic revolution, as we see in the social constructs before the revolution (Three Estates), the peasantry revolts and the “Great Fear”, and the new social reforms enacted by the Directory and Napoleon after the revolution.

HIST152- History of Western Civilization ll

Dr. Melisa Berry

Bushnell History Symposium (2:30pm – 4:30pm)

Bethany Taylor

Crucial communication strategies between caregivers and children post-pandemic

Abstract- Studies suggest the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on youth ages 6 – 14 and their behaviors and skills, including communication skills. As a result of my passion for working with youth, I found this topic both intriguing and critically important to their future success. The objectives of my capstone is to inform parents and guardians of the various intervention methods and opportunities to utilize with young people to enhance their skills and confidence when communicating. Guided by research, I plan to recommend opportunities for parents and guardians to foster better communication at home by giving them easy tools to incorporate with the young people in their home on a daily basis. My capstone project includes a curriculum that will be shown to parents during a dedicated “Parents/Guardian Resource Night” as well as a take-home resource packet.

COMM499- Senior Capstone

Kelsey Rychener

1pm – P003

Bobby Byrd

A Financially Ideal Trip to Japan

This presentation will detail the ins and outs of finding a way to travel and tour different areas in Japan, while still being financially conservative in as many ways as possible. It can be hard to travel anywhere on a budget, but Japan has many options for traveling and touring for cheap that are overlooked. This will list the rates of travel companies, different hotels with varying qualities, specific tours, and destinations that are must-see tourist attractions, including their pricing and the length for those as well. 

BUS 207 – Travel and Tourism

Dr. Pete Diffenderfer

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Braden Abbott

Effective Pastoral Care for Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Multigenerational Communities

What is effective pastoral care for baby boomers, generation x, millennials, and multigenerational communities? This research question has been the focus of my capstone since the beginning of the semester. As a Christian ministries major with a focus in pastoral ministry, I know that most of my time throughout my career will be spent providing spiritual care to those around me. It is obvious that this is a topic that will help me prepare for this task, but what if I told you that this topic is relevant to every church-going Christian? Pastoral care is an overlooked area of mental health which has the potential to help anyone struggling with things like depression, anxiety, life transitions, meaning making, and more. Finding a working definition of this concept and applying it to different populations is essential for its effective practice. Once this is established, effective pastoral care can be applied to a broad sociological profile for each of the generations mentioned in the research question. Finally, all this research will be applied to a multigenerational community such as a church serving multiple age groups in relationship. The findings of this capstone will prepare me to be a more effective practitioner of pastoral care and allow anyone in the audience to better understand how pastoral care can help them, regardless of the generational cohort they belong to or the experiences they have had throughout their lives.

CM499- Senior Capstone

Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe

3:30pm – Bucher Room

Bre’Azia Bourg

Poverty and School: It does make a difference!

In this presentation I will examine the effects of poverty on student learning, specifically at the high school level. I will discuss things like parental, support, mental health, graduation/college rates, and more! Lastly, I will present ways to address those challenges in the classroom.

EDUC321- Classroom Relations & Management

Dr. Brian Kaelin

Poster Juding Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Bryana Yoshida

Mental Health Care for Pregnant Women

The mental health of pregnant women has been neglected in the American healthcare system. This is especially true in regard to pre and postpartum depression and suicide.  According to the article Suicides During and Shortly After Pregnancy Are an Urgent Concern, Farzana Akkas states, “A study recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that over the past decade, nearly 9% of females of childbearing age (15-44) who died by suicide were pregnant or recently postpartum.” I propose three methods to address these problems. The first is support groups. The second is education, and the third is financial assistance. Eligibility for mental health resources should not depend on a woman’s financial status, racial identity, or ability. Mental health care during pregnancy should be open for all female residents in the United States

IDS 499 – Senior Capstone

James Berry

1pm – Bucher Room

Celsie Smith

From Poverty to Respectability: How Boxer James J. Braddock’s Internal Wealth transformed Depression Era Boxing

Referred to as “The Cinderella Man” by newspapers, James J. Braddock was a washed-up boxer with a “fairytale” return to the spotlight who become the world heavyweight champion in 1935.  Impacted by the Depression, he experienced defeat and humility, and had to face the economic and social reality of his situation. Braddock’s commitment to make his children healthy, fed, and happy drove him to return to boxing, despite previous failures. Seeing Braddock face and triumph over not just his opponents, but his own economic, mental, physical, social, and spiritual challenges re-ignited hope for American citizens facing their own poverty.

HIST499- History Capstone

Dr. Melisa Berry

Bushnell History Symposium (L203 2:30pm – 4:30pm)

Christopher Rosebrook, Will Callahan

For Better or for Worse: Tourism in Chile

This paper will be discussing the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the country of Chile. It will delve into the effects that tourism has on the natural environment as well as the local economies of Chile. The paper will show how tourism plays a role in conservation and how this outweighs the negative effects it has on the environment.

BUS307: Travel and Tourism

Dr. Pete Diffenderfer

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

David Schwartz

Apply Machine Learning Convolutional Neural Network for Classification Genomic Datasets

In my presentation I will show how we can apply a convolutional neural network to classify genomic data. I will discuss CNN’s and how they work along with showing the application to genomic datasets.

SFTE 445 – Introduction to Machine Learning and AI

Dr. Ernest Bonat

3:30pm – L204

Dylan Hough and Christian Benavides

Vail Resorts

We will be doing our presentation on Vail Resorts.We will be going over how the resort is the largest resort operator in North America with a record of 17.3 million skiers visiting and $2.5 billion in revenue for its fiscal in 2022. We will then go into talking about the Accommodations, History, Resorts within, Economics, Demand, Impacts, Transportation. We will also have bar graphs and pictures.

BUS207- Travel and Tourism

Dr. Pete Diffenderfer

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Ellie Harrold

Scientific Abuse and Lack of Ethical Discussion

I will be giving a presentation on an argumentative paper titled “Scientific Abuse and its Affiliations with Lack of Ethical Discussion”. This paper is based on 10 different scientific articles that I researched prior to writing it. Within this paper scientific abuse is described, as well as the different forms that should be recognized. The different forms of scientific abuse discussed are: Scientific misconduct, unethical and immoral experiments, ideological sciences, and not honoring factual findings.

WR 123 – English Composition

Joshua Kulmac-Butler

11:30 – P003

Ency Soto Jacobo

Negative Factors Impact Female Athletes and Can Lead to the Development of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a serious mental health concern that can affect individuals of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, including female collegiate athletes. In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I examined the prevalence of eating disorders among female collegiate athletes and identified risk factors that are associated with the development of eating disorders. I explored interventions that may effectively prevent and treat eating disorders in female collegiate athletes. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates among psychological disorders. It is important to understand why female athletes are at increased risk and what solutions can be implemented in a collegiate environment. Researchers have consistently found that female collegiate athletes are at an increased risk of developing eating disorders; as high as 45% of female college athletes engage in disordered eating behavior. Repeated risk factors associated with developing eating disorders in female collegiate athletes include social and cultural pressures, achieving an ideal body, sport-specific demands, competitive environment, stress, anxiety, and other psychological factors. This being said it is critical to increase awareness of this issue among coaches and athletes. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights into the risk factors of eating disorders in female collegiate athletes and highlight the importance of implementing intervention strategies to help prevent and treat these disorders. Future research must identify effective prevention and intervention programs in collegiate athletics.

PSY499- Senior Capstone

Dr. Erin Mueller

1:30 – P103

Hannah Love 

How does Color affect Student’s learning

Different colors can influence people’s moods and reactions. Different types of colors and shades can make people feel safe or afraid. Putting calming and welcoming colors in a classroom is more effective at creating a healthy learning environment than blank walls or bright colors. 

EDUC321- Classroom Relations & Management

Dr. Brian Kaelin

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Hannah Shepard, Jennifer Banning, & Jaron Carter

Strategic Plan for One Hope

We have created a Strategic Plan for One Hope, a local non-profit. Elements of our plan include their vision and mission and plans for moving forward.

BUS499- Business Strategy and Policy

Christy Silverthorne

2pm – Bucher Room

Ian Woodcock

Using Machine Learning Autoencoders Neural Networks for Dimensional Reduction of Genomic Datasets

“Machine learning is a well-known field in today’s society when it comes to technology. The first thing that probably comes to your mind is AI, which is a fair assumption, and I do have to admit, yes, machine learning and AI are related in some ways. But this is not involved with robotics similar to what you see in movies or science fairs, or robotics classes. It’s done more so in programming and is ever more present in the world of coding and software engineering. If you had a noisy image, a machine could make it less noisy on the image! If you had a file that was quite big in data size and you wanted to compress it down, a machine could do that! But what if I told you, you could condense down large dataset files, and the files took up so much of your storage on a small thumb drive, and it took forever for a machine to learn and output results? Well, now you can! This is how we use a neural network called an autoencoder and use the dimensionality reduction method to condense our data in Genomics!”

SFTE 445 – Introduction to Machine Learning and AI

Dr. Ernest Bonat

4pm – L204

Isaac Johnston

Worship: The Key to Spiritual Formation and the Heart of Discipleship

This project shows how an individual’s view of worship impacts their spiritual maturity. This paper will define the terms “worship” and “liturgy,” walk through transforming uses of liturgy to direct our worship in a congregational setting, and show how liturgy can form and point our individual worship to God in day-to-day life. In these things we will find the key to becoming like Christ for our personal spiritual formation and our discipleship of others.

CM 499 – Senior Capstone

Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe

4pm – Bucher Room

Isaiah Robles

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

In this presentation, I will define FASD, including its relevance to worldwide populations, describe practices for FASD diagnosis, describe practices for therapeutic interventions over the lifespan of the individual, and describe the impacts/challenges of FASD. My youngest brother was adopted and was born with FASD, specifically FAS. Therefore, diving deep into this disorder helps me better understand the abnormalities going on with my brother, and how I can better interact with him. Because this condition is also severely underdiagnosed, it will be beneficial for the audience to understand the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy and the proper steps to raise and treat a child with FASD.

BIOL 499 – Senior Capstone

Dr. Paul Allee

11am – L204

Jackson Findlay and Liam Kerr

The Collatz Conjecture Reformulated and Shown Through Python code

Explanation of what the collate conjecture is and its long history. We will then take a different angle towards looking for progress on this unsolved math problem, through identifying patterns and elements we noticed when looking at alternative versions of the conjecture.

MATH407- Python and Data Structures

Dr. MTip Phaovibul

2:30pm – L204

Jamison Hanson

Vision, Mission, and Values as Competitive Advantage for Convergence Physical Therapy and Performance

Abstract- Vision, mission, and values are core tenants of what makes a business functional and beyond that, what makes a business thrive and leads to long term success. Without a vision, there is no direction for the company. Without mission, the company lacks a why, and the values that a company holds direct how it is going to function and what it is going to focus on and prioritize. Convergence Physical Therapy and Performance is a local Eugene based gym that works with clients in a cash based physical therapy model, as well as a strength training model. This presentation examines the tenants of vision, mission, and values as whole and specifically how they apply to Convergence, all under the guise that vision, mission, and values if used properly can be competitive advantages.

BUS499- Business Strategy and Policy (Honors Thesis Defense)

Christy Silverthorne

10am – Bucher Room

Jamison Hanson, Halle Neumann, Leslie Reynaga, & Peyton Ritchie

Convergence Physical Therapy Strategic Plan

We have created a strategic plan for Convergence Physical Therapy & Performance. The presentation will encompass many different areas of strategy from vision, mission, and values to strategic goals and timelines for implementation.

BUS499- Business Strategy and Policy

Christy Silverthorne

1:30pm – Bucher Room

Janea Robertson

Marketing of travel and tourism

I will be talking about the effects that marketing has on travel and tourism and specifically airlines and hotels and theme parks/ attractions and the different and similar ways they use marketing strategies to attract tourists. 

BUS207: Travel and Tourism

Dr. Pete Diffenderfer

Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)

Kaden Sand

How The Impact of Sports And Sports Marketing Has Changed Over Time

Sports and athletes have always had significant impact on the world and the communities that are participating in them. We can find instances of sports being played since the beginning of time because it is a peaceful way to settle the competitive spirit that most of us possess. Throughout history, these sporting events and their meanings have changed drastically to become what they are today. From settling war disputes, to holistic rituals, to now being competitive entertainment for our enjoyment we have seen many factors go into changing the significance of sports. In the modern era, social media and technology has helped make the push in the sport industry to become a profitable business that large companies and businesses have been able to use in order to become more successful. Due to the large followings that athletes and organizations have, it is a golden opportunity for sports marketing to enable this practice in the modern world.

IDS499- Senior Capstone

James Berry

4pm – P003

Kalani Miller

From Jew to Gentile: The Transition from Judaism to Christianity

Abstract- This presentation will cover the transition from Judaism to Christianity during the Second Temple Period, the historical strife between both sides, Judaic Christianity in the book of Hebrews, and modern Messianic Judaism today.

BTM322 – Epistle to the Hebrews

Dr. AJ Swoboda

1:30pm – L203

Kalina Mae Rojas

How attachment style formed during adolescence impacts communication strategies, behavioral patterns and well-being in adulthood

Research suggests that attachment styles are sensitive systems which develop during adolescence, and the attachment styles we form as infants directly impact the way we navigate relationships and communication in adulthood. My presentation will first review and synthesize key studies related to attachment theory that have been collected through my communication courses at Bushnell University as well as my own research. I will then seek to explain the different attachment theories that can form, along with the long-lasting impacts of these styles specific to interpersonal communication strategies, behavioral patterns, and well-being.

COMM 499 – Senior Capstone

Kelsey Rychner

1:30pm – P003

Karina Phifer

The Ramifications Of Child Maltreatment in Personality Development

Exposure to child maltreatment (CM) at any stage of development may have enduring ramifications on one’s personality. Individuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have an increased risk for psychopathology. Many of these risk factors have been associated with anxiety, depression, and personality disorders (PDs). PDs that I discussed were paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. The purpose of this evidence-based synthesis paper was to (a) analyze interrelationships between the different types of CM, (b) childhood experiences from maltreatment, and (c) the effects of personality development and behavior. By reviewing 16 empirical articles from 1999 to 2023, I found that neglect played a key role in the relationship between CM with personality traits during development. However, the research is limited and more studies on neglect are needed to better understand this important issue and how to prevent it.

PSY499- Senior Capstone

Dr. Erin Mueller

2pm – P103

Kaylen Kamelamela

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) 

In my presentation, I will give an overview of the kidneys and their function followed by a description of chronic kidney disease (CKD), its relevance to populations, ongoing treatment options, and a more detailed explanation of treatment through dialysis. Kidney disease has been on the rise in America, making it one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. It is important to know how to discern the functionality of your kidneys, acknowledge signs or symptoms, and be aware of different risk factors that can increase the chances of being diagnosed with CKD and needing treatment.

BIOL 499 – Senior Capstone

Dr. Paul Allee

11:30am – L204