Honors thesis fuels passion for learning

Senior Capstone Project Colloquium begins today and continues through Thursday.

Brianna Mahan ’09 (Charlton, MA) took a class called “Mechanisms of the Mind” during her junior year. To say it sparked her interest would be an understatement.

“How the mind works absolutely fascinated me,” she says of the honors class taught by Science and Technology Associate Professor Brian Blais. “As I progressed through my college career, I started to question the connections between religion, thought process, morality, and where it all comes from.”

Her inquiring mind led to the development of her Honors Program Capstone Project, “Revisiting the Mind-Body Paradox: Can Brain Function Explain Moral Reasoning?” Her findings, which she collected during the yearlong project, will be one of 20 projects presented during the Honors Program 2009 Senior Capstone Project Colloquium over the next three days. The completion of the thesis is the last step before graduating with the Honors Program designation. The colloquium is sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Blais, who served as Mahan’s faculty sponsor, says the project gave her an opportunity to see firsthand how science demonstrates the interrelatedness of ideas. “This is one of the most valuable things about research: connections between topics that are surprising but fruitful,” he says. “I hope this process expands Brianna’s mind and lets her see the value in the pursuit of such understanding.”

Excited and energized

Jessica Clark ’09 (Barnstable, MA) says the goal of her project, “We Owe it to the Earth: The Importance of Environmentally-Friendly Lifestyle Changes During the Transitional College Years,” is to inspire people by her passion for the environment. During the colloquium, she will show a documentary she created.

“I genuinely feel that individual change can snowball into noticeable improvements,” she says.

Matt Moore ’09 (Sandwich, MA) decided to examine the effects of advertising on brand preferences of energy drinks because of their popularity on college campuses. He dedicated a year to his paper “Does Brand Image or Taste Have More Influence for Consumer Preference in Energy Drinks?”

“In addition to important consumer behavior concepts, I learned how much dedication is needed to take on such a large project,” says Moore, who will be part of the financial development program at The Hartford after graduation. “My time management skills were pushed to the limit, but I have definitely grown as a student throughout the experience.”

Gergely “Nemo” Nemeth ’09 (Balatonfured, Hungary) also pursued a marketing research project, “The Impact of High Risk Propensity on Social and Consumption Behavior.” As a skydiving instructor, Nemeth wanted to explore the actions of high-risk takers.

“I learned that a good research project takes careful planning, a lot of thought, and many revisions before it is complete,” says Nemeth, who will enroll in a Master’s program in environmental economics at Duke University in the fall.

Carol Demoranville, associate professor of marketing, served as the faculty sponsor for Moore and Nemeth. “Both were great students to work with,” she says. “They picked interesting projects, which is important because it helps keep you excited about the research and motivated to get it done. They found that research is a time-consuming process, but it is energizing and fun at the same time.”

Dedicated researchers

Kyle Audet ’09 (Keene, NH) combined a favorite pastime, baseball, and his interest in economics to write “Japanese Players in Major League Baseball: An Econometric Analysis of Labor Discrimination,” a project he has been working on since his junior year.

“I have become a more self-reliant worker and have discovered the difficulties and numerous roadblocks that can occur with independent research,” says Audet, who will begin Bryant’s Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) in May and work at PricewaterhouseCoopers after completing the program.

Jenna Greco ’09 (Niskayuna, NY) spent a year examining a topic that should prove interesting to her classmates: “How Do Young Workers Prepare for Retirement?” She says her time in the Honors Program has equipped her to excel.

“My Honors classes were very demanding and have prepared me for challenging tasks and projects when I enter the workforce,” says Greco, who will be part of the personal insurance product management development program at Travelers Insurance.

Rewarding experience

Both Kristen Brekne ’09 (Stony Brook, NY) and Erica Lawton ’09 (Dartmouth, MA) explored the role of women in gender advertisements under the direction of Communication Professor Stanley Baran.

“My Capstone Project game me a firsthand opportunity to conduct my own research and implement what I have learned over the past four years,” says Lawton, who will present “Gender Advertisements: Replication of a Classic Work Examining Women, Magazines, and Facebook Photographs.”

“The Honors Program prepared me to succeed through phenomenal professors, interesting class topics, and the extra responsibility,” says Brekne, who will present “Gender Advertisements: Replication of a Classic Work Examining Women’s Portrayal in Magazines and Family Photographs.”

Baran says it was interesting to work on similar projects with two students and to see their different approaches. “I hope they learned that there is a fascinating world out there that is accessible to people who can think on the level that they do.”

Reaching new heights

For Kristen Collins ’09 (Huntington Station, NY), her project, “The Effects of Obesity on State Healthcare Expenditures,” is the culmination of a challenging but worthwhile four years as a member of the Honors Program.

“My participation in the Honors Program has given me the opportunity to explore different perspectives on a variety of topics,” she says. “This has motivated me to reach new levels of achievement – some that I never imagined possible.”

Collins’ faculty sponsor, Economics Professor Laurie Bates, has had a front-row seat for the last four years of her development as a student. “The Honors thesis reflects Kristen’s serious commitment to maximizing the return on her education,” says Bates. “She is an amazing woman and a model student Bryant is proud to send into the world.” ______________________________________________________________

Read more about last year's Senior Capstone Project Colloquium.