Tag: Capstone

Arthur Breidenbach, Logan Davis, Blake Doran, Zachary Drach & Luis Diaz Menendaz

Capstone Final Presentation Team Digby

For our presentation we will explain the mission statement and strategy we chose to use and why we chose them for our organization/simulation. We will also discuss our three products and how they fit into our strategy, their product life, and whether they were a successful product or not. We will also discuss the troubling times we went through and how we are going to reinvent our business to be more successful. In addition, we will cover the struggles we encountered in our business. For several weeks, unfortunately, we took out several emergency loans in order to stay open. Finally, we will discuss the measures we took in order to turn Digby into a profitable firm.  

BUS 499, Business Strategy and Policy

Dave Quirk

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Shawn Carson, Andres Martinez, Jane Taimalie & Alexis Westbrooks

Andrews Company

Our presentation will include all of our company’s decisions week by week illustrating the main highlights. At Andrews Company we sell radars with the goal of providing the public consumer with multiple options. We will be selling radars in the high tech, low tech, and in between categories in order to help our consumers find their preferred radar. Week 1 highlighs our all-out investment of our company and its products. You will see that in the following weeks we get ambitious by continuing our creation of a new product for the company. To keep up with our business strategy, we try our best to provide the best prices for consumers while still continuing to make a profit. We have found that through our low prices, we are able to draw in consumers from all over, providing our company with the upmost success.

BUS 499, Business Strategy and Policy

Dave Quirk

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Tanner Dean

The Polysemy of “Political”: Shared Senses and Network as a Framework for Dealing with Lexical Ambiguity

Political discourse seems to be fraught with competing definitions for what is and is not “political.” These competing definitions can lead to people checking out from these conversations because there seems to be no overlap of these definitions. Polysemy allows for the examining of the shared network people use for creating these definitions. Etymology and the senses attached to these words are polysemous and connect to these shared networks. These shared networks then allow for people to understand that even though these definitions are different they can have an overarching overlap which can pull people back into conversations regarding “politics” and the “political” instead of leading to confusion over difference. Polysemy has the possibility to enrich our understanding of everyday political discourse.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

1 – 1:30 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Matthew Geronimo

Exploring the formative nature of liturgical actions: Eucharist, Word, song, and prayer

We live in a world that is prideful, individualistic, and unjust. God calls all people, through the redemption of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, to participate with God through liturgical actions: Eucharist, Word, song, and prayer. Based on biblical, historical, and theological research, this paper will propose the aforementioned liturgical actions to form worshipers to be holy and living sacrifices.

CW 499, Capstone

Karen De Young

2:30 – 3 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Maya Jenkins

Capstone: Generosity Feeds

In September of 2019, I chose to take part of an organization committed to addressing childhood food insecurity. I saw Generosity Feeds as a great way to practice what I had learned in my COMM 450 Persuasion class. I saw an opportunity to be a persuader and to practice organizing events. I created a strategic plan composed of persuasive strategies consisting of four conditions: potential donors, volunteers, broadcasting, and a one-on-one condition. In each of these conditions, persuasive strategies were implemented that would have ideally influenced the likelihood that people were to donate, volunteer, and buy into the message of Generosity Feeds. In this presentation, I will be reflecting on the work that I got to complete for this project before it was cancelled.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

2:30 – 3 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Bradley Keller

Keeping Secrets and its Relation to Humanity and God

Secret keeping and topic avoidance is detrimental to a person’s mental and physical health. Through research that has shown that keeping secrets and avoiding topics reduces relational satisfaction and causes physiological stress, this capstone aimed to encourage a community to consider how they are living into that. This capstone was a service learning event that took place on March 11th at Northwest Christian University’s Night Chapel. This event wanted to take this idea of topic avoidance and secret keeping further and consider how this is affecting our relationship with God. From looking at scripture, and taking from theologians such as C.S. Lewis and Timothy Keller, this event explained how we can return to a glorifying relationship with God. This service learning event effectively encouraged a community to consider getting rid of the secrets they are keeping out of fear and guide their hearts towards Christ’s sacrifice as an invitation back into the God’s glorifying relationship.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

2 – 2:30 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Jasmine Pannu

Multiple Sclerosis, and the role of T cells

This presentation reviews the autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and its’ association with the role of T cells along with causes and possible treatments. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system which includes the brain and also spinal cord. Myelin specific T cells play a major role in this disease and there are other factors which can play a role in the risk of getting multiple sclerosis, such as vitamin D deficiency, gut bacteria dysbiosis and certain gene alterations. T cells are seen working throughout these causes and in the disease itself. Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, there are medications which can help those affected and are used to prevent frequent attacks. Further research is being done for treatment and cure of MS.

BIOL 499, Capstone

Paul Allee

10:30 – 11 AM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Alyssa Perovich

Reading and Analysis of the Original Short Story: Black Whiskey

In this presentation, I will be sharing a selection from my short story, Black Whiskey, followed by an analysis of its themes and structure. The story follows Saphia Deering, a woman with a seemingly mundane life, as her past comes back to haunt her. As Saphia faces her demons, a series of new events and people lead her back to the church. In my analysis, I break the story down into categories to determine the influences behind it. The character of Saphia develops throughout the story and reaches a point of divine intervention before passing away. Supporting characters in the story are paired with different settings to help Saphia along the way, experiencing little development themselves. Themes include addiction, depression, sadness, faith, and healing. The plot is focused around a journey of spiritual development and includes multiple peaks and plateaus. Black Whiskey is influenced heavily by authors in the genre of literary fiction, such as Toni Morrison, Ayn Rand, and Ray Bradbury.

ENG 499, Capstone

James Watson

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

1:30 – 2 PM

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Kaylin Salladay

Gene Therapy

In September of 1990 Gene therapy was delivered to its first patient, a four-year old girl suffering from adenosine deaminase deficiency. Research on Gene therapy had begun in 1985 when trying to discover a new way to deliver a human gene via a retrovirus. Since its creation, Gene therapy has been met with major push back based on its ethical concerns. However, it has also been proven through clinical trials to be an effective way of treating diseases we have not had the methods to be able to treat. This presentation reviews the techniques associated with Gene therapy as well as a review of a few of the clinical trials. It also addresses some of the ethical concerns and the regulations in the United States. The further development of Gene therapy could change the course of people’s lives who currently live with untreatable diseases.

BIOL 499, Capstone

Paul Allee

11 – 11:30 AM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Abby Spencer

Exploring the impact of Identity in the Role of Firefighting

Symbolic interactionism shapes an individual’s way of thinking and identity. Our self-concept is part of our own experience and also part of what we think others believe about us. Through this process, labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the impact of identity regarding the role of firefighting.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

1:30 – 2 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

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Kinkade Barreiro

Bushnell History Symposium: Stagnation of Minority Representation in Media 

In the last two centuries, the status of minorities in the United States has improved dramatically. A survey of events where different racial groups have clashed during the struggle to improve the lives of minorities over the last century specifically shows that the way minority groups are perceived by the majority often contains dramatic biases. This survey attempts to show that the media’s representation of these events and the responses by majority populations to the events has not evolved with the urgency that other elements of American culture have. 

HIST 499, Capstone 

Melisa Ortiz Berry 

P103 

10 – 11 AM 

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Grayson Rose Carmack

Gender Roles in Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism 

The researcher will present an original exploratory qualitative study investigating the intersection of adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/high-functioning autism and gender identity. The researcher gathered qualitative data through the use of interviews and related measures. Participants included four adults, ranging from young adult to middle-aged, with three males and one female. Further, the researcher administered the Autism Quotient (Baron-Cohen, 2001), interviews in two individual sessions, demographic survey, and a graphic measure designed by the researcher for the purpose of assessing internal sense of conformity to gender roles along the gender continuum. The researcher found that the participants expressed a history of negative experiences relating to gender roles, especially when they found they could not conform to those roles adequately. Also, upon being made aware of this difficulty, they made committed efforts to fit in with their peers, especially in adolescence. As they matured, they abandoned these efforts and prioritized their natural inclinations and values over pressure to conform to societal gender roles. Based on study findings, the researcher concluded that people with Asperger’s Syndrome/high-functioning autism may experience greater difficulty navigating binary societal gender roles in comparison to their neurotypical peers. Future directions will also be discussed, including the need for a replication of the present study focused on transgender adults with Asperger’s Syndrome/high-functioning autism. 

PSY 490/499, Research Practicum & Capstone 

Mary Ann Winter-Messiers 

Banquet Room 

10 – 11 AM 

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Avery Daniels

The Importance and Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology: Nanomedicine 

This presentation is about the importance and potential benefits of nanotechnology used in medicine: Nanomedicine. Technology has been a vast growing field. But we always think of the technology that is in our hands or sitting in front of our face. Nanotechnology is a technology that we can put to the use of medicine. It can be used to prevent disease, new drug delivery, and may even extend our life span. It can also be used to treat cancer tumors by having Nanoparticles injected into our body, destroying only the tumor. Knowing about the benefits of Nanomedicine can open your mind about new ideas of medicine.   

BIOL 499, Capstone 

Paul Allee 

P114 

2:30 – 3 PM 

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Tanner Dean

There is no Guru, there is no Mountain:  Beyond the “Ideal Other” and “Utopia” in To the Lighthouse and The Road 

People often flock to “gurus”, or throw themselves into movements, that seem to offer an answer to life’s antagonisms and sufferings. In To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf and The Road by Cormac McCarthy there is a subversion that is being done to free the reader from the cycle that is moving from a guru, or movement, to another, in an intellectual sense. People tend to throw themselves to self-help book after self-help book in hope of an answer, but in these novels there is a way to escape the ferry wheel that is certainty and embrace the depth and density of life amidst our struggle. In To the Lighthouse a psychanalytic framework is helpful for braking free from the “ideal other”, or guru. The Road uses imagery of stillness, relationality, and embodiment to show that a utopia cannot ever be possible, yet we should continue into the gray unknown. 

ENG 499, Capstone 

James Watson 

SPS 100 

1 – 1:30 PM 

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Hannah Eddens

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons  and human biological effects 

Pollution has created significant impacts in human life in the past. It has devastated life greatly in all aspects. Pollutant materials are found across the globe in the water we drink, the air we breath, and land we walk on. One of the biggest concerns within the topic of pollution discusses the harmful particles we are constantly exposed to through the air we breath and the everyday products we use. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are derivatives of partial combustion of fossil fuels, biomass and overheating of organic material.[8] Exposure to this particulate matter has been researched and linked to the synthesis of DNA adducts and tumorigenesis. There are a number of pathways that operate the metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,   

  • formation of dihydrodiol epoxides requiring 2 CYP-catalyzed oxidations and epoxide hydrolase 
  • formation of phenols via radical cations by 1-electron oxidation  
  • formation of o-quinones via catechols by involvement of aldo-keto reductases with formation of ROS 

BIOL 499, Capstone 

Paul Allee 

P114 

1 – 1:30 PM 

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Covita Rachelle Hughes

Post Sexual Assault Outcomes in Females 

Sexual assault is one of the most complex issues in our society.  It is one of the most injurious crimes that perpetrators can inflict on other individuals.  Females are among the most vulnerable.  Female survivors of sexual assault of any age may experience long-term adverse effects later in life.  Thus, this presentation reviews four research trends in the long-term negative outcomes of sexual assault. First, female victims of sexual assault experience shame and low self-esteem. Second, there is a high risk for revictimization for female survivors of sexual assault.  Third, female victims experience emotional and psychological challenges. Lastly, female survivors of sexual assault are at risk for mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation.  Researchers have reported that once a female has experienced sexual assault, her risk of experiencing further sexual victimization is significantly elevated. Victims may experience high levels of shame and guilt and feel that they are to blame for the sexual assault and their inability to escape from their perpetrators.  Future directions will also be discussed, including the need for research focused on strategies for improving accurate societal understanding of sexual assault and its long-term effects.     

PSY 499, Capstone 

Mary Ann Winter-Messiers 

Banquet Room 

11 – 11:30 AM 

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Kevin Kaelin

Alternative Power Sources: Electrifying Commercial Aircraft 

In a world with an ever-increasing demand for transportation, solutions are needed to limit the amount of pollution generated by vehicles.  One solution for limiting emissions from vehicles is to make them electric.  This research seeks to answer this question: is an electrically powered jet engine feasible for commercial aircraft?  This project takes a standard CFM56-7B24 turbofan jet engine that powers a Boeing 737-800 plane and explores the conceptual use of electric motors to drive the fan and compressor assembly.  The overall weight of this concept is compared to the maximum operating weight of the Boeing 737-800.  The total amount of kilowatt-hours required is calculated as well as the total weight of batteries needed to satisfy the energy requirements of this concept.  Based on the findings of this research: current battery densities are too low to provide a weight-effective solution to petroleum-based jet fuel.   

MATH 499, Capstone 

Brian Carrigan 

P103 

2:30 – 3 PM 

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Garrison Lyman

Battling Juvenile Delinquency  

Investigating what causes juveniles to be delinquent from poor school attendance, poor educational standards, violence in the home, violence in their social circles, peer pressure, socioeconomic factors, substance abuse, and gender bias.  I want to explore these topics as a sense to understand the current situation children are put in that can cause them to lash out and become more hostile towards others.  So, we need to look at not only the children but the parental influence as well.   If their parents are frequent offenders of the law, the children would most likely follow down that path as well.    

IDS 499, Capstone 

Brian Mills 

P103 

1 – 1:30 PM 

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Kaitlin Martin

Common Threads: A Reflection on Six Short Works 

I will be presenting a small selection of creative pieces from my writing portfolio. The six short works I have chosen are representative of the three schools I have attended and will be read in conversation with the reflective paper I have written about the wonderful – and often intense, insane, barely endurable – journey I have been on for the last ten years. I will begin with two poems that were well-received but, ultimately, not chosen for advancement in regional writing competitions through Lane Community College; I will proceed with one short story and one poem written during my time at the University of Oregon; and I will end with another short story and poem that were penned here at NCU. The pieces will, ultimately, speak for themselves. They will illustrate what it’s like to be both artist and Christian, craving both sin and freedom, torn between independence and redemption – in essence, they will expose some of the intricate threadwork that connects me to you through the one thing we all have in common: our humanity. 

ENG 499, Capstone 

James Watson 

SPS 100 

1:30 – 2 PM

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Kaleb Miles

Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries 

The presentation will provide the basic anatomy of the human nervous system and explore the unfavorable events of spinal cord injury. Followed by the triggered cascades that lead to the lack of normal restorative and regenerative function of the spinal cord. Then the presentation will conclude with an explanation of the top strategies to promote neuroprotection, regeneration, and cell replacement for the spinal cord.   

BIOL 499, Capstone 

Paul Allee 

P114 

2 – 2:30 PM 

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Christy Seaton

Bushnell History Symposium: King Tut Exhibit and Exhibitation 

Exhibits matter because they bring museums to life. There was a exhibit of the Tut exhibit that consists of remade artifacts. The way something is shown in a exhibit.  By having these artifacts, we keep history alive Each artifact from Egyptian history matters in their cultures. 

HIST 499, Capstone 

Melisa Ortiz Berry 

P103 

10 – 11 AM

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Courtney Alldridge, Jenna Christenson & Josh Goins

Business Capstone
Cost Leader with Product Lifecycle Focus. Our extraordinary products are tailored for technology-oriented customers. We provide world-class products backed by fanatical support, delivering an exceptional experience. We also drive great returns for our stakeholders, which include our customers, stockholders, management and employees.
BUS 499, Business Strategy & Policy
Dave Quirk
L204
10 AM – Noon
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Michael Andrews, Joshua Chesnut, Olisaemeka Obianozie & Jacob Pitts

Baldwin Branch
Baldwin is committed to improving the quality of life and human capabilities of society through fostering innovation and conducting rigorous research.
BUS 499, Business Strategy & Policy
Dave Quirk
L204
10 AM – Noon
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Conner Borigo

Mentoring in Female Sports
This project focuses on how mentoring in middle school female basketball is desired to help said athletes to navigate the challenges of being an adolescent female athlete in a male dominated sport. I examine the problem with young women in sports by identifying the internal and external factors that could affect their mental and physical well-being. I also look into the women’s history in general and in respect to athletics. I give a biblical perspective of mentorship from Paul and Timothy’s relationship in 2 Timothy 1-4, and give a model of a successful modern mentorship. With the help of personal interviews with both a mentor and mentee in the local area, this research project will give insight on how to mentor young female basketball athletes.
CM 499, Capstone
Agametochukwu D. Iheanyi-Igwe
P103
10:30 – 11 AM
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Antonio Campos-Perez, Tyler Farmer, Harley Gilpin & Austin Tyner

Andrews Tech. Company
Andrews is a multimillion dollar company. We manufacture sensors, which we market to other manufacturers. They put out products into the devices they sell. Out company was created when the government split a monopoly into identical competitors. Sensors are devices that observe physical conditions. For example, the average cell phone contains dozens of sensors that allow it to interpret touch, spatial orientation, and signal strength. New sensor businesses are created every day in areas as diverse as security, aeronautics and biomedical engineering.
BUS 499, Business Strategy & Policy
Dave Quirk
L204
10 AM – Noon
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Tomás Carradero, Jessica Garner, Ben Olive & Lauren Oliver

Capsim Team Digby
Our mission is to provide a Broad Cost Leader strategy that keeps a strong presence in both high- and low-tech segments. We will strive to keep a competitive advantage over our competition by providing superior products. We attempt to keep our costs at a minimum based on the market. Our ability to keep products in both high- and low-tech will allow us to stay relevant in both segments. Higher-priced products for the industry offer solid value. Our stakeholders are bondholders, customers, stockholders and management. Our automation levels will be high, to keep productions costs low. After we establish our cost leadership position, we will reevaluate our strategy as a whole.
BUS 499, Business Strategy & Policy
Dave Quirk
L204
10 AM – Noon
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Angela Cusano

The Effect of Ministry Events on Perceived Self-Esteem
This project explores whether or not curated women’s ministry events have a positive effect on the attendees of the event. One main component of exploring this topic was the coordination and execution of the ministry event. For the event, I hosted an IF:Local on Northwest Christian University’s campus. This event was aimed toward women of all ages and consisted of simulcasted teachings, live worship, and a free lunch for all attendees. The event lasted from 9am to 3pm and allowed the women to come and go throughout the day. Though no legitimate study was performed to obtain statistically significant results, a survey was administered to all the attendees and collected in order to track any increase or decrease in the attendees’ reported self-esteem. The attendees were asked to take Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (1965) as they arrived and again as they left. This allowed for a change in reported self-esteem to be measured. The self-esteem of the attendees increased by 2.25 points. This represents that the event was a moderate success. Accordingly, It is possible that attendees may be positively affected by attending a curated ministry event.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
1:30 – 2 PM
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Levi Dean

CRISPR
The discovery of DNA and its role in carrying genetic information was discovered in 1953. However, until recently scientists did not know that it could be altered. The development of CRISPR technology allows scientists to edit DNA sequences to alter how a gene functions. This discovery could lead to correcting hereditary diseases, which could potentially eradicate certain diseases indefinitely.
My capstone will describe how CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) works at the molecular level as well as its genome editing ability. I will start by introducing CRISPR, how it works, and how it has developed. From here I will introduce CRISPR’s genome editing abilities and its impact on the medical field such as correcting hereditary diseases. Furthermore, I have observed CRISPR’s effect on Zebra fish genomes in the Miller lab at the University of Oregon and I will share my experience from that. Since CRISPR technology allows scientists to edit DNA sequences to change or correct gene functionality, therefore changing an already developed person, some have found it to be unethical. I will end by discussing the potential ethical issues that CRISPR may have on society.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
2 – 2:30 PM
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Malcolm Fleming

Diversity in Children’s Literature
This presentation focuses on diversity in children’s literature, which is critical because all children need to see themselves reflected in the literature they read. This literature also helps children appreciate individual differences. Researchers found that a majority of children’s literature in school libraries did not reflect racial, religious, SES, gender, disabilities, or sexual identity diversity. Researchers concluded that representations of children from diverse populations in literature must be characterized in ways that are realistic and engaging. For this study I examined current diversity in children’s literature to assess the range of diversity reflected. I went to three higher education libraries; Lane Community College, Northwest Christian University, and the University of Oregon. I examined their children’s literature collections in the following diversity categories; disability, LGBTQ, family/SES, and gender. I also examined racial diversity in each of the previous categories. I examined and evaluated 44 children’s books that ranged from pre-k to high school reading levels. I found that LCC had the most current collection of children’s literature in the four diversity categories. Fourteen of the 44 books addressed family and SES (e.g., divorce, domestic abuse, refugees, immigrant status, incarcerated parents, poverty, foster care). In the disability category the books primarily addressed physical disabilities. In summary, this presentation will stress the importance of exposing children of diverse populations, as well as societally mainstreamed children, to literature that will strengthen their awareness of themselves and others.
PSY 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
SPS 101
4 – 4:30 PM
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Elizabeth Gregory

Shared Personality Traits Among Mothers of Children with Autism
Mothers of children with autism may share personality traits and hold related behaviors in common. This presentation will review an exploratory study, the purpose of which was to investigate the intersection of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and potential personality commonalities and experiences. The researcher conducted a qualitative study, including interviews related to personality traits. Participants were five mothers of children with diverse autism diagnoses, 35 to 61 years of age with children ranging in age from early childhood to young adulthood. Further, the researcher administered the Big Five Personality Inventory, interviews in two individual sessions, an assessment based on mothers’ quotations, and demographic questions. The researcher found strong relations among mothers of children with autism and their similar emergent traits and behaviors becoming more identifiable as their children with autism aged. These traits are seemingly adaptive to the intensive needs and situations that accompany raising children with autism. Comparable identified, developed traits and experiences in the mothers included conscientiousness, agreeableness, gratitude, research and self-education, and social isolation. Based on the findings, the researcher emphasized the critical need for institutional and governmental support, community-wide acceptance and assistance, and overall societal compassion, understanding, and provision of aid for mothers of children with autism.
PSY 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
SPS 101
1:30 – 2:30 PM
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Amarachi Irechukwu

BioNutrition
Nutrition and genetics play a huge role when it comes to weight loss and weight gain. Both of these two things together can help to create a more personalized diet for a patient. Nutrition is a huge reason why some people gain and lose weight faster than others. It is the caloric consumption that can help us determine if we will store the remaining energy after our body uses it for cellular functions. Also it helps us determine if you are not getting enough energy for cellular functions causing you to starve yourself. A well balance diet can promote healthy weight loss and help with maintaining weight. If we can figure out what a person’s body has the easiest time to digest/ break down we can truly understand how their body reacts to different foods. Giving us an opportunity to develop a diet plan for them. Another thing to consider is that genes play a role in weight loss. Genes has the ability to give us information about someone predetermine health issues, their body weight composition, your ability to lose or gain weight and so much more. We will look at how a genetic component can help us to create a better diet. Or even to see if genes do not matter when it comes to dieting. In the realm of biology we are also going to go further in-depth and explore the microbial community in your gut and how it plays an important role in digestions and breaking down certain foods. This is a big thing to consider because without the bacteria in your gut you would have a hard time breaking foods down into energy. This community is essential for digestions. Furthermore, I want to create an understanding on why market diets don’t work and how I can create a more personalize diet plan to promote health weight loss.
BIOL 499, Capstone
Paul Allee
P114
2:30 – 3 PM
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Taylorann Matz

Homeless Adolescents and Faith
This project seeks inform listeners on how faith contributes to the development in homeless adolescents through a general overview of sources. Homeless adolescents need to have a sense of belonging to a group, a sense of hope, a sense of being loved, and a sense of purpose. This project looks at a biblical approach to addressing these needs with in a shelter environment.
Keywords: homeless, adolescents, faith, development
CM 499, Capstone
Agametochukwu D. Iheanyi-Igwe
P103
11 – 11:30 AM
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Gabrielle Morales

‘Uncertainty was attached to everything he knew’: The Intergenerational Transmission of Functional Illiteracy
When the U.S. federal 2020 fiscal year budget was announced in March of 2019, the notice of an 11.4% cut in k-12 programs generated an uproar among educators, journalists, and news broadcasters (U.S. Department of Education, 2019, p. 119). Yet, little attention was given with respect for the 24.3% cut in Adult Basic and Literacy Education, as well as an identical 24.3% cut in English (Speakers of another Language) Literacy and Civics Education—of which equal a combined decrease of 48.6% in adult literacy programs (U.S. Department of Education, 2019, p. 120). Little effort has been made for the functionally illiterate parent. President Bill Clinton’s efforts to, “end welfare as we know it,” in 1996 sought to decrease the number of families on welfare rather than decrease the number of families living in deep poverty. With this reform came stringent welfare eligibility requirements and uncompromising General Educational Development assessments (GED) within Adult Basic Education programs (ABE). Meanwhile, within the past three years, there have been zero cutbacks in Career and Technical Education or Vocational and Adult Education grants—thus confining impoverished and illiterate citizens to careers within the manufacturing industry; such programs offer diminutive literacy education. Historically, welfare and adult education reforms have denied opportunities for low-literate and functionally illiterate adults. In thwarting one’s ability to read and write, the intergenerational transmission of functional illiteracy remains. To be clear, this thesis does not serve as a claim against the alleged ‘brokenness’ of the K-12 education system or welfare system. Rather, it serves to take part in the current body of literature—of which asserts the need for improvement within the adult education system.
Keywords: intergenerational functional illiteracy, united states, adult education
ENG 499, Capstone
Jenee Cazares & James Watson
P114
10-10:30 AM
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Luiz Muñoz

Elementary School Students At-Risk for Academic Failure
For decades, children in the US school system who are at-risk, have been neglected and avoided by teachers and administrators, exposing them to the likelihood of academic failure. In elementary school, children at-risk show signs of academic struggle when their grades fall below the class average. These children may be less likely to demonstrate academic success in school than their peers who are not at-risk. Thus, this presentation reviews four research trends in children at-risk for academic failure in elementary school. First, children at-risk may experience academic failure due to reading difficulties. Next, they may experience academic failure due to low math skills. Furthermore, children who are at-risk for academic failure may come from low SES homes. Finally, children at-risk for academic failure may reside in foster care. These common factors are four of many that may cause a child to be at-risk in academic progress. Researchers reported that if students at-risk do not have early help with their reading, they will fail academically. Due to their lack of curricular understanding in reading and math, children also expressed heightened anxiety and/or anger while being subjected to classroom testing. Moreover, children from low SES families or residential foster care who changed schools three to four times over a five-year period demonstrated higher cognitive dysregulation, which negatively affected their academic capabilities. Future directions for research will be discussed, including the need to conduct longitudinal studies that evaluate participants’ academic progress throughout future grade levels.
PSY 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
SPS 101
2:30 – 3 PM
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Katy Noel

Discipleship and Communication
Though research has been done studying the relationship between Christianity and communication, the focus has been primarily on conversion and less on discipleship. Discipleship in this context can be understood as a mentor/mentee relationship between a mature Christian and a developing Christian. I have interviewed people who have been discipled to see what communicative themes would arise as effective/ineffective pertaining to their discipleship experience. Preliminary findings show that consistency, mutual self-disclosure, effective use of technology, ability to initiate hard conversations, and time spent together are common communicative themes present in a fruitful discipleship relationship.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
2 – 2:30 PM
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Jordan Norris

Do religious people have destiny beliefs in their relationships?
Implicit theories of relationships play an important role in determining the outcome of a relationship. There are two main beliefs people hold, destiny or growth. Destiny beliefs were defined as evaluating a potential partner on compatibility. Growth beliefs were defined as cultivated over time and viewing disagreements as a way to grow the relationship. The Santa Clara strength of religious faith measures the participants strength of religious faith. In the present study, participants are surveyed on their relational beliefs and their strength of religious faith. Based on the literature, the hypothesis is the participants who have strong religious faith will believe in more destiny beliefs in their relationships. The participants were surveyed on their strength of religious faith and their implicit theories of relationships. The results did not support the hypothesis as there was a weak correlation among both beliefs and religious faith. Research limitations and future research are discussed, including the need for more diverse ways to reach participants to best represent the population.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
10:30 – 11 AM
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Jordan Norris

The Impact of Religious Belief on Domestic Violence
Women of faith around the world have long been oppressed by their intimate partners due to manipulation of biblical texts. This epidemic transcends culture, countries, and religion. Women of faith, however, may become more resilient after experiencing domestic violence. Thus, this presentation reviews four research trends of the interplay between religion and domestic violence. First, the exposure of men to domestic violence in childhood may predict their engaging in domestic violence in their own marriages. Next, women of faith may withstand domestic violence because of biblical gender roles enforced by their husbands. Moreover, women of faith may remain in situations of domestic violence due to being economically dependent on their husband. Finally, additional training and education may be needed in order to counsel victims who experienced domestic violence. These elements of domestic violence among women of faith may be perpetrated by the language and culture of religious institutions endorsing female submission. These institutions may have supported this because many clergy felt ill-equipped in handling situations of domestic violence, leading them to avoid confronting male perpetrators of domestic violence in their faith communities. Future directions for research will be discussed, including the need to explore domestic violence in other countries and other religions, e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, and Mormonism, in order to gain a more accurate picture of the ways in which domestic violence transcends religions.
PSY 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
SPS 101
3 – 3:30 PM
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Gianna Rains

Use of Communication for Training Youth in Leadership
Leadership training could not be completed without the knowledge of communication. I have researched the different communication skills and tools used in training youth in leadership positions. Like adults, youths also benefit from being trained for leadership roles like team captains, government teams, and ministry positions. Communication skills are essential to all of these positions. Therefore, communication skills such as interpersonal, conflict-management, sensemaking, and framing are all useful in training youth in leadership. Now taking this a step further, I have also discussed the way the Bible challenges or extends this understanding of how to teach leadership. Secular leadership can sometimes be seen through a completely different lens than the Bible teaches.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
11 – 11:30 AM
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Tracey Raywinkle

The Impact of Cyberbullying on Adolescents
Adolescents today not only have to deal with traditional bullying but may also face cyberbullying. Adolescents and young adults who are the object of cyberbullying and involuntary isolation are more likely to engage in self-harm and suicidality than their non-bullied peers. Thus, this presentation will review four evidence-based factors of cyberbullying and the harm that it can bring upon vulnerable adolescents. First, the presentation will consider the evolution of bullying from traditional forms through today’s modern technology, or cyberbullying. Next, the presentation will review the impact of cyberbullying on adolescents in other countries. In addition, the presentation will examine the lack of relational and emotional support which may lead to cyberbullying. Finally, the presentation will highlight gender differences associated with cyberbullying. Researchers found that substance use and violent behavior may explain why both physical bullying and cyberbullying increased suicidal behavior in adolescents. Researchers also observed that both direct and relational victimization at school were positively associated with suicidal ideation, while relational victimization was more strongly associated with completed suicide. Researchers found that boys who experienced cyber-victimization were protected by schools, whereas, girls who experienced face-to-face victimization were more protected by parents. Lastly, experiencing cyberbullying not only resulted in girls having more negative attitudes toward school, but toward learning as well. Future directions for research will be discussed, including the need to gather more data from schools in other states and countries to increase the specificity of data, and the awareness of cyberbullying in other cultures.
PSY 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
SPS 101
3:30 – 4 PM
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Jonathan Sprouse

Social Media and the Church
This presentation will assess the use of social media by churches with the studies and knowledge of social media addiction. Several studies have been conducted on the use of social media and its effect on public health, however little has been done to study if the Christian Church should knowingly utilize these tools if they are addicting. This presentation will assess what social media is along with its benefits and downfalls. Additionally the presentation will address the downfalls of social media with what the scriptures of the Bible tell how we should respond. It is hoped that this presentation will inform church workers on how to use the tools of social media properly with the understanding of the Word.
CM 499, Capstone
Agametochukwu D. Iheanyi-Igwe
P103
11:30 – Noon
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Stephanie Steinhardt

Definitions of Calling: A Comparative Study of Qualitative Responses
The word “calling” is often used to describe the feeling or urge towards a profession or career; however, “calling” can also be broadly defined as an approach to life, especially for Christians. The present study was a content analysis on qualitative responses of 103 Northwest Christian University traditional and adult degree undergraduate students to open-ended questions on definitions of calling related to work and life. Several themes emerged from the responses. For definitions of calling as it relates to career, the themes identified were guiding factor (e.g., God’s plan), personal fit, and altruism. External forces, internal forces, and the greater good emerged as themes when considering one’s approach to career as a calling. Ninety-eight percent of the participants responded that calling applied to other areas of life; their explanations revealed that calling relates to everything, meaningful relationships, meaningful activities, and lifestyle. The findings of the present study support previous qualitative research that college students apply calling to their work and areas outside of paid work. A sense of calling has been linked with greater job and life satisfaction, so it is an important concept to study. Future research should investigate gender differences and the implications of calling to well-being.
PSY 499, Capstone
Nani Skaggs
SPS 101
11:30 AM – Noon
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