Livia Tjoelker

Young-earth Creationists Integration of Faith & Science

Although the evolutionary view on the creation of life is often trademarked as the only scientific view, a literal interpretation of scripture can be supplemented by many different forms of science and research. First and foremost, embryonic development. The entire foundation of my argument will be built beginning with the earliest stages of our human life. Secondly, I will unpack baraminology, a term coined by creation biologist Frank Marsh. Baraminology is the study of created kinds and comes from two Hebrew words; ‘bara’ (created) and ‘min’ (kind) (Wood). Baraminology demonstrates God’s intentionality, perfect organization, and Adam’s role in the garden of Eden. Next, I will discuss the interesting topic on the validity of the flood found in the book of Genesis approximately 4,359 years ago (Wright). Lastly, I will provide the most common alternative view of evolution which I have taken a college course for and will supply a theological argument that implores believers to hold firm to scripture rather than what the world says. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. The infallible, inerrant, word of God explicitly explains the beginning of creation. For Christians, this verse should be sufficient for understanding the beginning of creation and every living thing around us. With scripture as the basis of truth over all else, we can dive into other aspects of life that supplement biblical understanding of the world around us. I believe it is honoring to the Lord to acknowledge the mystery of creation and that as mere humans we will not ever be able to fully understand every facet of life that God providentially designed. With this attitude as creation scientists, we can dive into the beauty of creation, learn as much as we can about how our Maker’s design, and elevate Him with our discoveries. In addition, as believers it is important to stand firm and defend our faith when the enemy works through the doubts and criticisms of others. For many people the book of Genesis is not sufficient so as defenders of the faith, we can take what we know about the world around us and affirm what scripture has already told us. This is a daunting task, and it is true how hard the evil one works while trying to lure us into compromising our faith but there have been many young-earth creationists who have walked ahead of us.   

IDS 499, Senior Capstone

James Berry

P114

11:30 AM – Noon

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Amanda Torres-Sanchez

The impact of adverse childhood experiences and interventions for long-term well-being.

Everyone deserves to live a life that brings them safety, comfort, flourishment, and love. Unfortunately, some people face unimaginable events early on in their lives that affect the trajectory of it. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are significant events that may affect how children perceive life and act toward others. Some may experience a triumphant story of overcoming the odds that were stacked against them, and some may lead a life of dysfunction. Many children who have faced ACEs have entered the foster care system because of abuse and neglect from their primary caregivers. Actions by professionals and community members must be taken to support children in care who are struggling as a result of maltreatment to promote long-term well-being. In Lane County, some organizations are already doing great work to care for these children who have experienced hurt, but there is still much work that needs to be done. Psychological interventions like trauma-informed care and mentorship programs are crucial to promoting long-term well-being among youth in foster care. 

IDS 499, Senior Capstone

James Berry

P114

1:30 – 2 PM

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Haleigh Wambolt

Mary Wollstonecraft and womens rights

My presentation is on Mary Wollstonecraft. She was an advocate for women’s rights until the late 20th century. She advocates educating children into the emerging middle-class ethos. Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Men (1790) criticizes aristocracy and promotes republicanism in reaction to Edmund Burke’s Reflection on the Revolution in France (1790), which was a defense of constitutional monarchy, aristocracy, and the Church of England. Among the first writings of feminist philosophy is a Vindication of the Rights of Woman, published in 1792. In it, Wollstonecraft makes the case that women should receive an education appropriate to their social status and assert that women are vital to the country because they raise its children and can be more than just wives-they can be their husbands’ “companions.” Most of Wollstonecraft’s early writings are devoted to education. She put together The Female Reader, an anthology of literary excerpts “for the improvement of young women.” In thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787), her conduct book, and in Original stories from real life (1788), her children’s book, Wollstonecraft promotes teachings to kids in the values of developing middle-class ethos: Self-control, integrity, thrift, and social contentment. Both works stress the value of instilling reason in kids, demonstrating Wollstonecraft’s intellectual debt to the influential educational philosopher John Locke of the 17th century. Additionally, she advocates for women’s education in both texts-a contentious issue at the time that she would revisit throughout her career. According to Wollstonecraft, educated women make excellent mothers and spouses and will eventually make contributions to society. 

Again this is just a summary of some of the things I am going to talk about in my presentation. These are her contributions and her theories on education and women’s rights and equality. I will be adding more detail to the presentation and more in-depth detail about the effects on society that she made and her past life as well. 

HIST 152, History of Western Civilization ll

Stephen Andes

Bucher Room

1 – 4 PM

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Audri Ward

Leonard Defrance’s ‘A l’egide de Minerve’ An example of Change 

This presentation is based on Leonard Defrance’s painting ‘A l’egide de Minerve’, which shows a public square with many people, most of which are from different religions. This painting is significant because it takes place during the Enlightenment. This is important because previous to the Enlightenment most everybody had to be Catholic. This painting shows a major change. Change isn’t always easy and quick, but when people want change bad enough, they will do everything they can to make it happen.

HIST 152, History of Western Civilization ll

Stephen Andes

Bucher Room

1 – 4 PM

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Eryn Wilder

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Comprehensive Review of Comorbidities and Diagnosis 

In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed findings from 15 empirical studies ranging from 2023 to 2010, as well as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 TR). Using these studies, I summarized the current knowledge surrounding complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and its high comorbidity rate with other psychological disorders. CPTSD has been conceptualized as a psychological disorder for many decades targeting individuals who have experienced prolonged and repeated​ trauma(s). There was much debate as to whether this was an evidence-based diagnosis until 2019 when the ICD-11 elected to​ include an adult version of​ CPTSD based on the validation of its ​research. Most researchers have found this a challenging disorder to both study and diagnose due to its symptom complexity, non-linearity origin, and extensive psychiatric​ comorbidity. Researchers have found that CPTSD is most common in clinical samples as it is a debilitating disorder going beyond the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has been recognized that there is a crucial need to review the effects of CPTSD and comorbidity with other psychological disorders, improving clinical assessment methods for this newly recognized disorder. Furthermore, researchers in the mental health field recognize the importance of adopting trauma-informed approaches, highlighting the need for accurate assessment methods, and treatment, emphasizing the significance ​of not overlooking the potential impacts of traumatization​ beyond the symptoms of PTSD.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

S100

3:30 – 4 PM

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Eden Witten

Oregons History of Black Exclusion

The black exclusion laws of Oregon. How it may be the reason there’s a lack of diversity in Oregon. Going into the case of Jacob Vanderpool. How those laws effected individuals not only legally but in everyday life. The struggles the Mims family faced. How there’s history infrront of our faced we aren’t educated about.

HIST 207, ST: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Culture

Stephen Andes

Bucher Room

1 – 4 PM

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Jessica Woods

The Effect of Storytelling on Business Success: How Connection Bridges the Gap Between Product and Consumer

Decades of research have been dedicated to discerning why some businesses are successful and others aren’t. Many analyses have been made, speeches given, and papers written, but the true path to success has eluded discovery while well-meaning pursuers of the answer are overwhelmed with sources of incomplete advice. I’ll be taking four years of business education and combining it with my passion for literature to propose that the missing link between a “by the book” business and true success is the element of story.

BUS 499, Business Strategy and Policy

Christy Silverthorne

S100

4 – 5 PM

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Taiga Yamane

Taiga Yamane

The power of mind

In life, individuals encounter nerve-wracking and stressful situations that they would like to avoid but cannot. Example situations can be a job interview or client negotiations in business and game-change moments in sports. In the competitiveness of business and sports, success does not only come from physical skills or technical expertise. We can elevate our performance by the power of the mind. The incorporation of visualization techniques or mental imagery into preparations has emerged as an effective tool for individuals who are seeking to enhance their performance. By imaging success and mentally rehearsing the scenarios, individuals can anticipate their stress and perform effectively. I would like to delve into the benefits of those techniques for performance improvement and examine their applications in both business and sports in this project. This essay also aims to explain the potential of visualization techniques as a powerful tool and my practice model.

IDS 499, Senior Capstone

James Berry

P114

2 – 2:30 PM

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The State of Teaching at Bushnell University

In the Fall 2023 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:

  • Ezekiel Aldaco
  • Albert Allen
  • Christopher Kamkar
  • Grace Kitchens
  • Annika Poet
  • John Stephens
  • Matthew Wilhite

L203 (click here to view the live stream)

Noon – 1 PM

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Albert Allen

Aurelian: from Illyrian farmer to Restorer of the World

Aurelian served as Roman emperor between 270 and 275 AD, during a chaotic period of Roman history. During the 3rd Century, the empire almost fell due to civil war, barbarian invasions, economic crisis, epidemic disease, and new empires being formed out of previous Roman territory. Aurelian had lowly origins in the province of Illyria, but he quickly rose through the ranks of the Roman army due to his martial prowess and courage. A strict, brutal, and effective general, he was declared emperor by the army in 270. His career was a blaze of action. He repelled multiple barbarian invasions and defeated the two break-away states in Gaul and Palmyra, reuniting the empire. For this latter achievement the Roman Senate gave him the title “Restorer of the World.” In Rome, he built new walls to protect the city and constructed a brilliant temple to the Sun God. Aurelian’s reign was cut short, however, when he was assassinated in 275 due to false accusations against him. As Roman emperor, Aurelian’s career demonstrates how common men could reach the very heights of imperial power during this time of crisis.

HIST 375, Ancient Rome

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Maxwell Al-rubaie

The Epic of Gilgamesh and how we relate to it

i will talk about how the Epic of Gilgamesh and what motivated him to go on his journey and relate it to why others in the past (Hitler, Napoleon) and how us today (Russia and Ukraine, US and love for oil in the middle east). then I will go on to talk what motivates the everyday person, lastly I will compare Gilgameshs’ journey to the one of college.

HIST 161, World History I

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Justin Ault

The Impact of Modern Imperialism on the Pacific

Despite the idea of colonial and Imperial powers not being thought of for our post WWII world, the Pacific is still riddled with the negative repercussions of Imperialism despite colonial influence being all but gone. With the influence that the Japanese and the Americans had in the Pacific, it is no shocker that the Pacific has come out worse for wear. With verifiable factors such as the conversion to some of the islands into pseudo industrial military complexes, with effective second class citizenship has meant that these island countries may never recover.

HIST 337, History of the South Pacific

Stephen Andes

P103

10 – 10:30 AM

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Justin Ault

Splotches of Color: Powerful Roman Women and the Ancient Roman Empire

During the long course of history that pervades the Ancient Roman Empire, the long line of powerful individuals is mostly kept towards influential males of the likes of Julius Caesar, Augustine, Octavian and others. However, what general history fails to include into the vital role that Roman Women had during this time period. One of the most influential women was Julia Avitae Mamae, who essentially served as the Queen Regent of Emperor Severus. Presenting on her important role during this turbulent period of the Roman Empire will serve as an important aspect that must be known to all, and serve as another facet of understanding of the Roman Empire.

HIST 375, Ancient Rome

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Christina Baker

Boomer generation and Gen Z Non-Verbal Communication

Younger generations see that elders need help, they adapt certain behaviors towards them. These behaviors end up sending the wrong messages to the elders. Therefore, the elders feel disrespected, and dismissed. Learners will learn how to recognize and adapt in a positive way. They will learn to redirect in a supportive and helpful manner. Help elders become empowered, secure, and loved. 

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

Womack 100

3 – 3:30 PM

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Grayson Bolaños & Spencer Hoffman

2023 Bushnell debate championship

Topic: Jesus was not all-knowing.

Affirmative: Grayson Bolaños

Negative: Spencer Hoffman

The winner will be decided by audience vote, and will be crowned the 2023 Bushnell debate champion.

COMM 325, Argumentation and Debate

Doyle Srader

L203 (click here to view the live stream)

10 – 11 AM

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Madeline Brainerd

Child development and Reading Aloud Go Hand in Hand

My English service practicum has focused on the benefits of reading aloud with children. This presentation brings together scholarly research and my own experiences volunteering with students at the Creswell Clubhouse, which serves students ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade. The Clubhouse is a nonprofit afterschool and summer camp program for the kids of Creswell. As part of my English service practicum, I read aloud with them and help them with homework and packets provided by the program. Throughout the semester, I have been noting my observations, especially as they relate to the importance of reading aloud and how it enhances a child’s development. I am so grateful to have this opportunity because not every child experiences one-on-one reading time at school or at home. I have discovered just how important reading with children is, and how many benefits there are in doing so.

ENG 395, Service Practicum

Connie Diffenderfer

Bucher Room

10 AM – Noon

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Brooklyn Brown, Bobby Byrd, Albert Jennings & Ethan Stacy

A plan to make a Bushnell education an opportunity to learn

There are lots of pressures on college students that distort our experience and make learning very difficult. Some come from our habits, and some are just built into the system itself. We have been studying those pressures and thinking hard about strategies to overcome them and make college into a learning experience. Come hear our plan and join us, and we can work a lot less hard and have a lot more to show for it.

FYS 175, Critical University Studies

Doyle Srader

L203 (click here to view the live stream)

1 – 1:30 PM

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William Callahan, Davis Kyser & Sayer Pescosolido

Final Research Project

We as a group are developing a business idea that represents a form of holistic mission to serve others. Our business that we are developing is a private school for students that focuses on career paths and more opportunity for what the student wants to learn. Along with that we intend to incorporate Christian values and teachings as well.

BUS 240, Theology and Practice of Business as Mission

Pete Diffenderfer

Bucher Room

10 AM – Noon

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Isabella Cameron

The History of Christianity and Apologetics: How Knowing Christian Background Strengthens the Defense of Our Faith

Knowing the history of Christianity can help to strengthen and deepen our apologetic arguments. we define apologetics as “the systematic argumentative discourse in defense branch of theology devoted to defending, providing an answer for, and standing by the Christian faith no matter the circumstance”. We need apologetics because of ideas like Gnosticism and Arianism; ideas that contradict the truth of the Bible. Diving deeper into specific examples, we find that some people do not believe that the Jesus of History is the same as the Jesus of the Bible, or that the Bible hates women, or they don’t understand how a God of love would allow His followers to suffer in persecution even to the point of death. Apologetics is a necessary tool and by using history to strengthen it, We have a pretty unbeatable claim to Christianity.

HIST 331, History of Christianity I

Stephen Andes

P103

11 – 11:30 AM

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Isabella Cameron, Debra Gisrael, Lynn Jacobson & Robbie McGowen

Reflections on Study Abroad in Israel/Palestine

This summer, Bushnell students and faculty studied abroad in Israel and Palestine. This ACE day presentation will provide reflections on sights seen and lessons learned. Topics covered include: pilgrimage, the Arab-Israeli conflict, archaeology, and spiritual engagement with the “Fifth Gospel” another name for the Holy Land.

BTM 307, Archaeology and the Bible

James Berry & Melisa Ortiz Berry

P114

2:30 – 4 PM

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Sophia Castillo

Theodora

Telling the story of the primary source of Theodora. Explaining her and Justinian. Explain how she became empress. What she wanted to accomplish. How she accomplished her task. Her death and if/how it affected the people.

HIST 331, History of Christianity I

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Maxwell Chapman

Pursuit of Divine purpose

I will be telling and comparing the story of Gilgamesh quest for immortality (Utnapishtim’s flood account) and Noah’s ark. Both of these people have unique stories of venturing into the unknown and coming back with greater wisdom. More importantly I want to speak about the overall message of why this is significant to us humans. I want to drive home the fact that everybody is capable of magnifcent things not just those who have already done it. The theme of the story is to strive for your divine purpose and live life righteously.

HIST 161, World History I

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Carissa Cole

Biochemical Pregnancies

Biochemical pregnancies are an early-stage miscarriage and one of the most common types. Unfortunately, it can take an emotional toll on the parents who are trying to conceive a child. In this paper, I go through some of the reasons that this event may occur. It is first important to understand the process of fertilization, implantation, and development of the conceptus. With an understanding, it is easier to grasp the complexities of pregnancy and why mistakes may occur during development. Early miscarriage can occur for a few different reasons. Research has found that most occur from chromosomal abnormalities, specifically aneuploidy and sperm DNA fragmentation. There is also evidence that there can be endometrial complications. The thickness of the endometrium plays a role in keeping the fertilized egg alive. Findings also suggest that implantation can determine if a biochemical pregnancy happens. The mother’s uterus can reject the implanting embryo, and there seems to be a preferred window of implantation that allows the conceptus to survive. Most interestingly, it has been found that women who undergo in-vitro fertilization are less likely to have an early miscarriage when compared to those who have a sporadic pregnancy. While there is some research dedicated to answering the question of why chemical pregnancies occur, there is not much dedicated to preventative measures. Evidence does suggest that there are a few, specifically preventing aneuploidy, but there are minimal resources dedicated to this research. Overall, biochemical pregnancies are an unfortunate occurrence that plagues many women, and because of this, more time and resources need to be dedicated to research on early pregnancy loss.

BIOL 499, Senior Capstone

Paul Allee

Womack 100

1:30 – 2 PM

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Emily Cole

Are Morals and Ethical Standards Heaven Worthy?

In the classical era, Persians adopted a new religion. This belief was known as Zoroastrianism. It became super popular in Iran. As time progressed Zoroastrianism ideas seeped its way into Christianity, Judaism and Islamic practices. These ideas came from a man name Zarathustra. . It has been thought that he was once a priest that left his duties because he wasn’t happy with the conservative form of religion. He traveled for many years and came to believe that Ahura Mazda was the “supreme god“. He felt Ahura Mazda chose him to be a prophet. Zarathustra began to write down details of Zoroastrianism. Some of these thoughts included that Ahura Mazda was the good spirit and how Ahriman was the evil spirit. He preached that being good and having morals were all that was needed to reach heaven. He preached that a person just has to be good. The Bible talks about needing to know Jesus Christ as Savior to get to go to heaven. The religion of Zoroastrianism is very deceptive as it only builds itself on being good and having moral values and ethical standards. It leaves out all the hard things like giving up oneself for the Lord Jesus to follow him and only concentrate on all the easy parts. If a person doesn’t believe he is sinning then more thought to be good. Even things that would be considered sin would be classified as good.

HIST 161, World History I

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Taylor Copenhaver

The Association Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cognitive Impairment in Adulthood

In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed 23 journal articles, both empirical studies and literature reviews, dating from 2013 to 2023 examining the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cognitive impairment in adulthood. Many researchers found significant results suggesting that the decline in the cognitive function of memory is associated with PTSD. Additionally, researchers concluded that neurocognitive disorder is strongly associated with PTSD, but the specific neurocognitive disorder of Alzheimer’s disease is not directly correlated with PTSD. Furthermore, it has been discovered that the comorbid relationship of PTSD and depressive symptoms is the strongest correlation with cognitive impairment. When it is not comorbid, PTSD is more closely associated with cognitive impairment than other mental disorders. A few limitations within the research are that many of the studies included symptoms of mental disorders and not clinical diagnoses, the sample sizes of some studies were not large enough to make a generalization of the researched population, and there is not enough evidence to suggest a causal relationship between PTSD and cognitive impairment.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

Womack 100

10 – 10:30 AM

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Ruby Daniels

Story of the flood from The Epic of Gilgamesh

In the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” the story of the flood is a pivotal episode that parallels the biblical narrative of Noah’s Ark. The gods, angered by humanity’s noise and overpopulation, decide to unleash a catastrophic flood to wipe out all life. The god Ea, however, warns the hero, Utnapishtim, instructing him to build a large boat to preserve the seed of all living things. Utnapishtim, along with his family, craftsmen, and animals, survives the flood. Afterward, he releases a series of birds to find dry land, and when a dove fails to return, indicating the existence of solid ground, they disembark. The flood narrative in the Epic of Gilgamesh explores themes of mortality, divine intervention, and the cyclical nature of life and death. This story is considered one of the earliest literary accounts of a great flood in human mythology.

HIST 161, World History I

Stephen Andes

P103

1 – 4 PM

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Chase Dean

Listening Project

Guy Itzchakov defines high quality listening as listening that offers empathy, interest-taking, and unconditional regard.

Bushnell University traditional undergraduates are emerging adults. Monisha Pasupathi’s research shows that high quality listening helps emerging adults become more confident in their adult decisions through emerging adulthood.

What I sought to do is provide a space in the community to discuss what it takes to practice high quality listening and how easy it can be. During a gathering of Bushnell students at chapel I explained the elements of high quality listening and in one gathering we practiced high quality listening.

I then asked students throughout the next 3 weeks to practice the skills to develop comfortability in high quality listening. Once they had practiced this level of high quality listening they were to put stickers on a poster board in Womack Hall as a checkmark of their practice. I sought to get 30 stickers on this poster

After the 3 weeks had passed we had a total of 15 stickers on the poster board

COMM 499, Senior Capstone

Doyle Srader

Richardson 100

11 – 11:30 AM

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Daniel DeCosta, Harmony Goodman & Ben Morehouse

Haus and Garten New Product Recommendation

We will be creating a presentation that highlights a potential new product for Haus and Garten. This product is an multi-setting hose nozzle. The presentation will include target market information, promotional materials, and prototypes of the product. This presentation will center around the “4 P’s” of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.

MKTG 230, Intro to Marketing

Christy Silverthorne

Bucher Room

1 – 2:30 PM

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Tierra Dumlao

CC’s

CC’s is a profitable business that sells drinks and pastries. In addition, they offer Christian supplies that customers can read, talk about, etc. This cafe will be a safe environment for Christian college students to come and have study groups, read on their own, do homework, or just enjoy a meal. The location of this business will be close to college campuses, so college students who do not have transportation can walk. In addition, this cafe will support diversity, accepting others no matter who they are. Competitors such as: Perugino, Palace Coffee | Bakery, and Studio One Café will be addressed. Along with the starting cost that would range from $100,000 to $1 million.

BUS 240, Theology and Practice of Business as Mission

Pete Diffenderfer

Bucher Room

10 AM – Noon

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Tierra Dumlao & Halliday Hubbard

Examining the Use of the Transfer Portal

The NCAA transfer portal has opened up many opportunities for collegiate athletes. However, due to NIL deals and other factors, the transfer portal has led to issues in Ethics, specifically where athletes’ morals and values lie within an athletic program. This tool has brought questions to the term “loyalty” among student-athletes. Issues include the increase of athletes entering the portal each year, coaches cannot create a culture if their players come and leave each year, coaches saving money for transfers rather than incoming freshmen, etc. Our solution to our ethical dilemma is implementing a new rule restricting undergraduate student-athletes from transferring until they fully complete two years at their current university. This solution gives them an opportunity to face their problems and try their best to work with the environment they are in. In addition, more money can be used for incoming freshmen rather than coaches saving money on transfers.

BUS 325, Sports and Recreation Management

Pete Diffenderfer

Bucher Room

10 AM – Noon

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Gabe Fatooh

Nonverbal Environmental Cues in Transitional Facilities for the Unhoused

Nonverbal environmental cues play major roles in communicating messages but often slide by unnoticed. This training includes takeaways for participants regarding space size, space density, space noise, space focal points, and space lighting. Participants may apply this information at their transitional facilities for the unhoused.

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

Womack 100

2:30 – 3 PM

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Ethan Ferry

The Therapeutic Benefits of Well-Integrated Religion and Spirituality

In this evidence-based synthesis paper, I reviewed the findings of 18 peer-reviewed, empirical studies dating from 2001 to 2022. The goal of this review was to determine effective methods of integrating religion and spirituality into counseling. In addition, I focused on some of the mental and physical benefits of religion and spirituality in the face of struggles, such as trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, and chronic illness. In the last 20 years, the constructs of religion and spirituality and their relation to mental health have increasingly become the subject of research. Most studies have shown that including religion and spirituality in counseling is helpful for patients who value religion and spirituality. There are various assessments that counselors can include during intake and treatment which help gauge the client’s religion and spirituality as well as help the counselor to protect against bias. There is evidence suggesting that the integration of these into counseling increases positive affect, strengthens the client-counselor relationship, and increases positive treatment outcomes. Religion and spirituality as coping strategies lose effectiveness in adolescents as they age. Additionally, religion and spirituality have also been found to be detrimental to clients who do not have strong theodicies and clients with low levels of engagement in faith. Negative religious coping strategies were also found to be associated with more negative outcomes in comparison to individuals who use positive or other non-religious coping strategies.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

Womack 100

10:30 – 11 AM

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Daniel Furman

Effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Head Injuries on Athletes

In this synthesis-based evidence paper, I reviewed findings from 17 different empirical articles from 2015 to 2023 to provide an overview of findings on the lasting effects of head injuries and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) on athletes. The term CTE was derived in 1940 from Bowman and Blau. They define CTE as a neurodegenerative condition that is thought to be partially brought on by repeated head trauma. The results from the peer-reviewed articles revealed the severity and far-reaching effects frequent head traumas can have. These traumatic brain injuries (TBI) affect the patient’s psychological and physiological states of mind. Findings between the articles showed similar lasting consequences of CTE across different athletes. Results revealed that high-contact sports, and in rare cases, low-contact sports, can result in lasting head trauma and potential neurocognitive impairments. Most researchers agreed that playing in a high-contact sport like football for long enough will eventually cause some sort of traumatic brain injury, or potentially CTE. Some limitations to the research on CTE and head injuries were that the results could not be generalized around the globe, studies on CTE are done postmortem, and there are no findings on the immediate effects of CTE. The development of techniques for diagnosing CTE during life, as well as additional research into the validity, precision, and practicality of the recently released diagnostic criteria for CTE, are imperative to address these, and other significant concerns for head trauma.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Erin Mueller

Womack 100

11 – 11:30 AM

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Toby Gallego

A Holistic Approach to Treating Spiritual and Religious Abuse and Trauma

Spiritual and religious abuse and trauma is a topic that is being discussed with more frequency in Western culture today. With a high prevalence of this type of abuse and trauma (Oakley & Kinmond, 2014; Shellnut, 2019), it is important for mental health providers to know how to recognize S/R abuse and trauma and know the best treatment modalities for those who have been wounded by it. This paper discusses the nature of S/R abuse and trauma and describes the psychological and spiritual harm that victims incur at the hands of their abusers. Additionally, the topic of what common personality features make people vulnerable to S/R abuse and trauma is addressed and a description of the maladaptive tendencies of people who misuse power to hurt others will also be discussed. This paper also highlights the research of helpful treatment models that have been shown to be efficacious in bringing healing to victims of S/R abuse and trauma. Lastly, the author highlights his own gleanings from the research on beneficial principles for the treatment of S/R abuse and trauma.

CMHC 699, Capstone

Abraham Cazares-Cervantes

Siefke 100

Return to schedule

11 AM – Noon