The Honors Thesis is the culmination of the Honors Program, and for many students, the most significant single academic endeavor of their college career. Students complete the four-credit-hour thesis project over at least two semesters, usually their last two semesters before graduation. Students work closely with a thesis committee to plan and conduct the thesis project. The thesis topic and academic credit can be in one’s major or another area of study and must include some original research or scholarly contribution. In addition to allowing students to pursue individual academic interests, the thesis project is excellent preparation for students planning to pursue graduate studies.
Theses from 2022
A Comparison of Stigma Levels for Individuals with Psychological Disorders and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, Isabella E. Wood
Grasping the Intangible: The Perseverance of Physical Music Media in a Digital World, Sam Youmans
Theses from 2021
I Believe a Man Can Fly: Three Essays on the Themes of Superheroes, Trayton N. Armstrong
The Creation of a Next-Generation Cancer Treatment Using Photodynamic Therapy, Jasmine Baughman
What Animals Teach Us, Christina Beger
A Unique, Project-based, Microcourse to Teach the Fundamental Concepts of Quantum Mechanics, Elijah Begin
Cell-Free DNA Testing as a Potential Way to Provide Early Detection of Ewing Sarcoma, Jordie Bone
Hello, Olive, Bec Braly
One Creation: Examining Creation Myths Across Time and Culture, Scarlett Castleberry
Synthesis of Biomimetic Poly (Acrylic Acid) Fiber Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications, Kayla Churchwell
Lost in Translation: The Communication Differences of Men and Women in Dating and Marriage Relationships, Jessica Daniell
Achievers and Believers: Women Overcoming Obstacles in Business, Harly Dearing
Meditation in Buddhism, MBSR, and the Bible: Examining the Implications for Christian Counselors, Kara DeLaune
Desireé: An Original Musical, Melodie DuBose
Golf: Strategies for Success, Lauren Dunaway
Analysis of MicroRNA Profiled in Extracellular Vesicles Released from Varying Grades of Hepatocellular Carcinoma using cBioPortal, Emme Edmondson
Utilizing Technology as a Means of Teacher Professionalism, Jordan Ford
Identification of Antibiotic-Producing Bacteria that Inhibit Staphylococcus Aureus, Grace Gallagher and Ruth Plymale
Defying the Darkness: Countering Cancer with Light, Travis Hankins
Generative Art, Caleb Harmon
Math Anxiety from All Angles, Katie Harmon
Alexander Hamilton: Underdog or Overrated?, Caity Hatchett
The Function of Novel miRNAs as Biomarkers in Breast Cancer Patience and Their Future in Personalized Medicine, Cade Haynie
The Impact of Biomimetic Collagen Nanofiber Scaffolds on Coagulation, Luke Hill
Advocacy in the Youth Justice System as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Jennifer Johnson
Host Bacterium Influences Bacteriophage Efficacy, Grace Jones
Sexual Abuse in the Protestant Church, Madeline Grace Knight
Providing Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors: Incorporating Diverse Short Fiction in the High School English Classroom, Emily Koonce
A Case for Early Intervention Speech Therapy for all Children in the Foster Care System, Moriah Manchack
The American Dream: Embodying Perseverance, Erin E. McNully
The Elements of Onstage Lighting and How it Could Impact the Emotion of an Audience, Kailee Morehart
Benefits of Music Therapy When Used Collaboratively with Language Therapy, Rebekah Grace Oliver
Equitable Education for Haiti, Breanna Parker
The Good Fight Guide: A Theological Guide to C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, Sara Patterson
The Artistic Mother Tongue, Hannah Perkins
Sexual Ethics from a Biblical Perspective, Braylon Pilant
The Influence of the Qur'an on Islamic Finance, Connie S. Quintero
Neural Exosomes as a Potential Modifier of Glioblastoma, David Rainwater
Why Are We Using Our Mouths as an Entrance for Bacteria?, Alyssa Reece
The Democratization of Finance through the Banking Revolution and Financial Technologies in Brazil, Joao Rodrigues
Effects of Temperature & pH on BPA Leaching in Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Mady Rottinghaus
Importance of the Social Model of Disability in the Field of Speech/Language Pathology, Sidney Salyers
"But the Spirit Himself Intercedes": An Exegetical on Romans 8:26-27, Carmen Alide Scott
Political Language Analysis of Health Crisis and Terrorist Attacks, Madison Shankle
The Not-So-Great Apostasy?: A Response to the Mormon Argument of the Great Apostasy, Rylie Slone
Electrospun Modified Polycaprolactone Scaffolds for Polymer-Based Periodontal Wound Healing, McKenzie Smith
Analyzing Exosomal RNA Sequencing Data of Low-Grade Hepatocellular Carcinomas, Timothy Spiva
When is God and What is Time?, Zack Tomlinson
Wound Healing with Polymers: Developing Biomimetic Polymeric Nanofiber Scaffolds Using PVA, Abigail Walker
Loading s-hFGF1 in Polymeric Nanofiber Mats for Biomedical Applications, Jennifer Wallace
Making the Bible Modern: How I Created a Retelling of the Good Samaritan, Laura Beth Warner
Honokoil Treatment on Glioblastoma Cells, Julianne Weaver
Attention Platform 9¾: The Hogwarts Express is Cancelled. Exploration in Cancel Culture, J.K. Rowling, and Beyond, Mallory Whitson
Women in Business: Social Status Recognition, Prejudices, Power Usage, Challenges and Solutions, Xinwen Zhang
Theses from 2020
Identification and Characterization of miRNA Networks in the Pathogenesis of Lymphatic Malformations, Hayden Bowman and Graham Strub
The Effects of Communication Disorders in Individuals with Down Syndrome and How to Help Them Succeed, Shelby Louise Bradley
The Involvement of Notch Signaling in Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer, Olivia Paige Brown
Protective Services or Protecting the Service? An Analysis of the United States Child Protection System, Margaret Ann Donnell
The Search for Mere Purgatory, Tucker Douglass
Visual Arts Education for Grades 6-12 in Arkansas and Its Changes Since the Twentieth Century, Callie Anna Dunlap Oxner
Effects of Light Intensity on the Oxygen Production of Arthrosprira Platensis, Savannah Edwards
Daniel's Journey in First Grade / El Viaje de Daniel en primer Grado, Hannah Gallagher
Editing the Editor, Adeline Goodman
The Challenges of Deaf Women in Society: An Investigative Report, Megan Harris
The Healing Potential of Online, Art-DBT: Developing a Program for Rumination and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Reduction, Lesley Howard
Teachers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Children who Stutter, Kathryn Knight
Not Exceptions: Historic Views of Women in Art and the Impact on Contemporary Women Artists, Abby Leal
Beyond Stereotypical Picture Books: An Inquiry of Hidden Life Lessons from Patricia Polacco, Ruthie Lenards
Evaluating the Effect of Mutant EGFR on GPIT Subunit Expression in Glioblastoma Multiforme, Sheldon McCown
Inside Jobs: Historical Conspiracies and their Effects on the Discipline of History, Emily McGee
Les Femmes Capables: A Supplementary Curriculum Teaching Survival English to Female Senegalese ELLs, Abigail Morse
Spiders in a Window: How Dangerous Stories Lead to Dangerous Women, Mattie Mae Motl
Pharmacy: The Backbone of Healthcare, Jordan Raye Myers
Cracking the Case on Age-Appropriate Literature, Sara Neumann
Parent Knowledge Regarding the Relationship Between Literacy and Language Development, Emily Pankiewicz
The Sermon on the Mount: A Call to Obedience, Rylee Roberts
Village Saints and a Little Black Magic: The Benefits of a Mission Trip Opportunity for Natural Science Students in Culturally Diverse Southern Mexico, Brooke Sanderford-Bester
A Young Adult Scrutinizes the Michael L. Printz Award, Claire Elaine Seale
Developing a New Water-Soluble Porphyrin as a Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley
An Overview of Foster Care, Rachel M. Smith
The Effects of Renal Cold Storage and Transplantation on Immunoproteasome and the Complement System, Savannah Stacks
Reading between the Lines: Exploring Literacy, The Science of Reading, and the R.I.S.E. Initiative, Ashly Stracener
The Effect of Alpha-Toxin on the Formation of Biofilm by Staphylococcus Aureus Species, Allison Studdard and Mark E. Hart
Women in the U.S. Congress: A Study on the Role of Gender in Electoral and Legislative Processes, Selby Tucker
Dance: The Universal Language of Storytellers, Meagan A. Woodard
Our Stories, Paige Wright
Preparation and Cytotoxicity of Novel Carbon Nano-onion Materials, Cammie York
Theses from 2019
The Trashy Americans, Megan Bayer
Delineating the Role of HPN in NEPC, Stephen Noah Bowman
Effectiveness and Mechanism of Action of Modified Porphyrins for Photodynamic Therapy of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Hannah Brandon
Determining Toxicity of Bacterially-Produced Antibiotics, Logan Clay
Determining the Presence of BPA in Vaping Mouthpieces, Jessica Cook-Snelgrove
Early Childhood Trauma: Implications for Educators and the Importance of Trauma-Sensitive Schools, Mattie Couch
Effects of Diagnostic Labels on College Students' Perceptions of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah Grace Cowell
Stories from Elsewhere: A Novella, Andrew Crook
The Communicative and Survival Effects of Exosomes in Glioblastoma Multiform, Jacob L. Edmondson
Crafting Comics: My Journey Through the Creative Process, Carrie Hill
Computer Science in the Elementary Classroom: The Basics, Mary Grace Belle Hill
University Attendance and Diametric Political Polarization, Cole Jester
Passive Solar Tracking Using Shape Memory Alloys, Keeley G. Johnson