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 2020
Examining the Effects of Time on Antibiotic Resistance Within Prairie Restorations, Haley Ritsema
Senior Recital, Brody Roland
Self-Disclosure of Stuttering to Various Social Referent Groups and its Relationships with Psychological Distress, Katrina Rourke
High-Efficiency Transformation of Yeast by Electroporation, Lilly Ruell
Worldwide Wonder: The Positive Impact of Academic Travel on the Education Major A Scholarly Personal Narrative, Katherine Rutherford
Matching-to-Sample Using a Tablet, Karina Salazar-Ponce
Remote Careers and Entertainment: The Shift from Gaming Console Entertainment to PC Capabilities, Jacob Sanderson
Housing Prefabrication and Resource Optimization, Megan Scherpereel
Manufacturing Granola Additives for Ready to Eat Cereal, Trey Schmitz
Comparison of Pretreatment Methods for the Production of Ethanol, Emily Schulte
Political Scandal and Party Identification, Michael Sekich
Katie Short's Senior Voice Recital, Katherine Short
Biological Evaluation of FDA-Approved Drugs as miRNA-31 Inhibitors using Real Time QRT-PCR and a Luciferase Assay, Nicholas Sienkiewicz
An Examination of Barriers and Determinates Impacting the Healthcare of Kalamazoo County's Transgender and Non-binary Young Adult Population, Tyler Signorella
Steam Valve Thermo-Performance Analysis, Turner Slaughter
Extraction of Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere, Alison Soares
Scope: A Senior Exhibition, Emma Somers
Tale as old as time: research and renderings for tales of Beauty and the Beast, Jillian Stacer
Global Emergencies: How Do They Affect Supply Chain Management Students?, Alexander Stratton
“Space For All?”: An Analysis of Race, Gender, and Society in the Cult Classic Doctor Who., Liron Sussman
Board Gender Diversity, ESG, and Corporate Performance, Novena Sutiono
The Art of Making Paper, Kristen Theys
Glut5 and Fructose Metabolism Inhibition in a Simulated Small Intestine Environment, Isabella Trainor
Pre-Arrest Diversion Programs with a concentration on Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Koren VanderWeele
Investigation of The Factors Related to Burnout in Foster Parents, Rachel Van Eck
Design of Outdoor Residential Lighting Fixture, Jenna VanMarter
Establishing Auditory Discrimination and Echoic Stimulus Control with an Auditory Matching Procedure, Matthew von Holst
Teaching Echoics to a Student with Autism: Video Model vs Live Model, Dana Waddell
The Intersections of Art and Activism, Marisa Weller
I Know It When I See It, Grace Wellman
Soft Power and Human Development in Central Asia, Cheryl White
The Senior Recital of Travis Leon Williams, Travis Williams
Optimization of Cation Exchange Chromatography Purification of a Small Peptide: An Industrial and Practical Approach, Jamin Willoughby
Mental Health Inpatient Hospitalization: What Nursing Can Learn From "Sensory Rooms.", Haley Wilson
Music Theatre Performance: New York Senior Showcase, Emma Wineman
Distribution Center Layout Optimization, Jonathan Worthy
Theses from 2019
Vibrant Statements: LGBTQ+ Multi-Disciplinary Arts Event, Michael Arellano
Increasing Coated Recycle Board Print Quality, Brennan Augst
Communication Debugging Platform, Husam Beitello
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Michigan Birds - A High School Learning Experience, Cody Benfant
Testing Resilience in Empower Success Participants, Megan Berichon
Benefits of Doodling, Olivia Bevacqua
Testing Resilience in Empower Success Participants, Taylor Birgy
Changes in the Gata3 Gene Regulatory Network Was Necessary for the Evolution of Mammalian Hearing, Paige Blinkiewicz
Analyses of the Feeding Strategies of Dugesia japonica and Schmidtea mediterranea Planaria, Emily Bolhuis
A Descriptive Analysis of Drug Interaction Effects, Matthew Boss
Think Greater than Soccer, Anthony Bowie
Femicide in the News: How Newspaper Articles Represent the Killing of Women & Girls in Detroit and Ciudad Juárez, Danielle Branch
Replacement of a Liquid Filling System for Corrosive Materials, William Breining
A Detailed Documentation of the Design and Production Processes: Western Michigan University's Jesus Christ Superstar, Anna Brockway
A Working Model for Integrating Two Basic Christian Concepts into Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Lauren Brya
Knowledge Gap: Supply Chain Students and Employers, Kathryn Bules
The Impact of a Neurofibromin Deficient Breast Microenvironment on Mammary Epithelial Cell Morphology, Megan Callaghan
The Effects of QR Code Prompts Posted to a Solar Charging Bench on Website Visibility, Sage Campbell
Financial Literacy: The Argument for Required Coursework Regarding Personal Finance in Schools, Maclain Canfield
Syrup Process Optimization, Anelis Susana Chiluisa Calvache
Marketing Plan for the Foundation Scholarship Program, Marissa Chupp
A Comparative Study of Cryoballoon, Radiofrequency, and Laser Ablations for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation, Amanda Croft
Reshaping the United States' Anti-Trafficking Legislation: The Need for Uniform Reporting and Victim Rehabilitation, Bryant Cross
Formation of Complete IMC Campaign for a National Client, Tatum Culhane
Analysis of the Demands of a Student Athlete, Jaret Curtis
The effects of anthropogenic noise on the spatial distribution of Field Sparrow song, Kelsey Cushway
Food Insecurity on WMU’s Campus: Student Satisfaction of The Invisible Need Project, Ava Daly
Screaming, Humming: A Look into Student Theatrical Direction and the Importance of Queer Narratives on Stage and in the Rehearsal Room, Kropveld Danielle
Reaching Residents with Rhetoric: Content Management Strategy with Kalamazoo Eastside Neighborhood Association, Kylie Davis
Rain Gardens: The Return of Ecosystem Services, Katie DeHaan
The Macroevolution of Diadromous and Non-Diadromous Clupeiformes., Lindsey DeHaan
Improving Efficiency of Manufacturing Cells, Conner Deneen
Found Family, Julianna Drachman
Modular Water Modeling for Manufacturing, Tyler Drobnik
The relationship between droughts and the tourism industry: A case study on Cape Town, South Africa, Katelyn Drummond
Monkey Mind: Everyday Observations of Mental Illness, Mikhayla Dunaj
Refugee Camp Education: Hope, Gaps, and Barriers, Allyson Dykstra
An Examination of Western Michigan University's Financial Statements, Jordan Farrel
Communication Barriers Faced by Female College Students (18-24) During Business Internships, Gail Foldenauer
The meaning of song type: exploring behavioral responses of field sparrows to three simple song types, Eliza Foli
Critique of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019, Katherine Fournier
Facing Addiction in College: The Effects on Alcohol, Drugs, and Academics, Alexis Frazier
Determining the Depositional Environment of Amherstburg Formation, Elizabeth Gaines
Re-purposing a Dead Mall into an Art and Innovation Center, Veronika Gaska
Property Management Software, Mariam Ghali
Implementation Considerations for the Digital Bronco ID, Bryan Gilginas
Business Plan for Southwest Michigan Trolley, Cynthia Glass
Formation of a Complete IMC Campaign for a National Client, Caitlyn Gordon
Childhood Trauma and Early Adult Engagement in Deviant Behavior: A Measure of Experiential Avoidance and Impulsivity Association, Angelene Green
A Performance of Classical Trombone, Benjamin Hahn
The Peaceful Transition of Spain: How Authoritarianism Became Democracy, Emma Haiser
Effects of Stuttering Frequency, Speaking Rate and Treatment on Speech Naturalness in Adults Who Stutter, Emily Hausman
Lightweight Racing Suspension, Colin Haynes
United Families through Interior Design, Marissa Heintz
RN to APN Role Transition, Bethney Hernandez