The honors thesis is a time-honored tradition in the Lee Honors College. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate to themselves and others the knowledge and skills they have developed during their undergraduate studies and honors experience. The general purpose of the thesis is to create a capstone work that reflects the expertise they have developed in their major field of study or interest.
Honors theses completed at Western Michigan University are entered into ScholarWorks. Some may be embargoed or restricted by the authors or we have been unable to reach the authors, so the theses may be only available from on-campus computers. If you are an author of an honors thesis and would like to make it available off campus or if you have any questions, please contact wmu-scholarworks@wmich.edu.
Theses from 2012
Senior Recital, Corey E. Shotwell
Spontaneous Recovery in Children With Expressive Language Delay, Jaimie Sierakowski
Interaction of Pharmaceutical Compounds with Dissolved Organic Matter, Carlen Nigl Smith
Senior Organ Recital, Emily E. Solomon
Neuromusicology and Combat-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury, Elisabeth Spinniken
Neuromusicology and Combat-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury, Elisabeth C. Spinniken
A Literary Review of ADHD Treatments: An Advocate for Neurofeedback, Jessica A. Steele
Investigation of Saccharide Release through Acidification, Sonication, Thermal, and Microwave Treatments, William K. Storck
Solo trumpet performance practice in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, Michael Sulecki
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior in a Child With Autism, Mackenzie M. Sullivan
Insights From India, Nora Tkac
Reconstruction /Redesign of the I-69/I-94 Highway Interchange, Manuel A. Torreira
Financial and Management Records for WMU Softball, Lindsey M. Truitt
Unbearably Familiar: A Collection of Poetry and Creative Non-Fiction, Monica Vanstone
Baton Project For CS490, Senior Design, Timothy Weidner
Intelligibility and the Sinewave Speech Carrier Phrase Effect, Danielle R. Werle
Kayleigh's Australian Adventure: A Story for Children, Diane A. Wetmore
The Future of Orthopedic Medicine, Brian M. Willie
1.4L Turbo CAC and AC Condensor System, Mitchell Zajac
The Increased Savings of Cash by United States Firms, Robert M. Zak Jr.
Theses from 2011
Intellectual Property in China: A Firsthand Account of Counterfeit Markets in Beijing, Amanda J. Ahler
WMU Mobile for iPhone, Christopher A. Ashbay, Justuce Reule, and Tim Wickey
Corruption in Egypt: The Effects of 'Koosa' on Economic Development and Political Stability, Ashley V. Aubermann
The Supreme Court: A Decade of Opinion, Matthew A. Bahleda
Language, Race, and Culture in Porgy and Bess, Madeline J. Baker
The Effects of Circumcision on Breastfeeding 24 Hours Post-Procedure, Trevor J. Barnum
One, Ayla Batton
Creating a Curriculum for the Autism Toddler Classroom at WoodsEdge Learning Center, Katherine J. Beckstrom
Methanol Distillation Optimization, Kristen L. Bellmer and Scott Sherrod
The Correlation Between the Freeze/Thaw Cycles and the Stability of the Lake Michigan Bluffs at Miami Park, Van Buren County, Michigan, Hachemi Y. Bouali
Take a Look Inside: An Afternoon of Staged Readings, Eric William Braman
Nursing Students Use of Nonpharmacologic Pain Relief Techniques, Lauren R. Brim
The Theoretical Retrofitting of Chess Engines for the Purpose of Machine Translation, Thomas Lee Wilkinson Brown
The Philosophy of Film, Caitlin Burt
The Implementation of Contactless Payments in the U.S., Chera M. Burwell
Applied Behavior Analysis in Populations with Autism: A Look at Social Interactions, Katelyn M. Callahan
Human Service Organizations and Economic Turbulence: How Today's HSOs are Coping, Emily Carter
An Examination of Gunflints from the Fort St. Joseph Site (20BE23) in Niles, Michigan, Cezar Carvalhaes
More than Music (a combined voice recital with Jillian Newton), Margaret Dewar
Social GPS Game for Android, Kevin A. Diefenbach
The Whimsy and Woe of Youth: a Senior Voice Recital, Samantha Downes
Preparation Materials for HR Assurance of Learning Exam, Nicole Drew
Living Composers, Naomi Mae Droge
Kalamazoo River Valley Trail: Academy Street to Westnedge Avenue, Adam Eaton, Matthew Maluchnik, and Nathan Raburn
Come As You Are: Queer Christology from the Perspective of LGBT Christians, Madison E. Edwards
Synthesis and Characterization of Monolayer Protected Gold Clusters for Biological Applications using Amino Acids, Phillip Eskander
"El Despertar": A Short Spanish/English Film by Kristen Fairchild, Kristen C. Fairchild
An Investigation of the Treatment Integrity of a Computerized Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression, Rachel M. Farrell
Redesign of Tire Stiffness Testing Machine, Peter G. Feldpausch and Benjamin Williams
Analysis of Dental Management of those with Physical and Mental Disabilities, Ashley M. Fleck
Validation of a Measure to Assess the Prevalence and Severity of Fears in an Adult Population, Christine M. Foster
Follow-up Evaluation of Treatment Integrity for a Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing Procedure on Vocal Behavior in Children Diagnosed with Autism, Eleanor R. Giles
Financing Michigan Education: An Interpretation, Analysis and Suggested Improvements of the State School Aid Fund, John A. Gipson
Non-Motorized Transportation and It's Application at Western Michigan University, Leah J. Goodman
Following the Flechas: The Camino de Santiago and its Inner Workings, Brenna C. Halpin
Changing the Course of Civil Rights Policy in the United States, Lauren B. Hearit
Analyzing and Negotiating Conflicting Ethics in Journalism, Jessica R. Herndon
Worklight Improv Team, Shannon N. Hill
Robert Hjelmstad's Senior Recital, Robert Hjelmstad
The Impact of European Union Membership on Romani Children’s Ability to Access an Equal Education in the Czech Republic, Stephanie L. Hodek
Increased Enrollment for the Graphic and Print Science Program Through Specialty Print Advertisement, Christa Ickowski
Putting Together a New York Style Cabaret: A Personal Analysis, Megan Elizabeth Jacobson
Puffed Snack Production Line Design - Kellogg Company, Adeel A. Khan, Hannah E. Davis, Leslie M. Klein, David M. McNish, Christopher D. Rumsey, and Ashley A. Saberniak
Examining the Feasibility of a Women's Center at Western Michigan University, Kathryn Kucyk and Michelle Kachman
Is Justice Available to All? Indigent Defense in Michigan, Barbara K. Lanning
Alternative Ways of Developing and Assessing Fluency with Basic Facts, Amy Laponsie
The Effects of Trade and Other Factors on Income Distribution: The Cases of Chile, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, George G. Lluberes
Fixing the Weak State, Evan M. Mayo
Common Currency Examined in Latin America, Jack William McCloskey
Design of a Forced Air Induction System for a Suzuki RMZ-450 Engine, Conrad R. Meekhof
Redesign of a Torsion Bar Testing Machine, Amanda J. Meiser, David Lawrence, and Brian Maher
Traveling the Tracks, Eileen Meslar
The Family and Medical Leave Act: Effects on Women's Wages and Employment, Andrea E. Miller
Student Involvement, Brianne E. Miller
Epilogues and Endways, Sarah E. Milosch
Thin: Party of Two, Julia Mitchell
Senior Showcase, Chelsea Morgan
At the Bus Stop: A Dance Film, Rachel Nadler
Harmonious Connections (A combined recital with Maggie Dewar), Jillian Newton
Creating Collaborative Art, Sarah J. Nott
Comparisons among College Students Who Do and Do Not Obtain Routine Pap Smears, Heenashree I. Patel
Cultural Impact on Marketing, Laura M. Polanco Fermin
Student Recital, Elisa Ruiz
Kinesthetic Intervention for Normative Pelvic Alignment in Dancers, Shawna K. Smith
Senior Recital, Evan D. Snyder
Decreasing Wandering: An Intervention for Caregivers, Monica A. Spear
The Two-Way Mirror: Ethics and Integrity as Foundations in Student Leadership, James B. Stano
Increase Awareness of and Participation in the Food & CPG Program at WMU, Brendon L. Steiner
Queering the Blog: Authorship and Postfeminism in Blogs and Blooks, Staci L. Stutsman
Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder, Scott Timmer
Portfolios for Student Development and Success, Ashley Nicole Tremble
Senior Cabaret, Maxwell Wardlaw
Rationabilis Dos: A Study in Dower, Politics, and Popular Perceptions, Eric J. Ware
The Kalamazoo Museum During the Great Depression, Shawn P. Weiss
WMU School of Communication Facebook Page, Ashley G. Wittbrod
Theses from 2010
As You Like It Costume Design, Kristen Ahern
Lighting: Assorted Paperwork, Kaitlyn E. Anderson