Seniors in EKU's Honors Program participate in a faculty mentored process that demonstrates the students' ability to locate, evaluate, analyze and synthesize information, in an ethical manner, in order to produce meaningful scholarship. The Honors Senior Thesis, typically a capstone paper or creative project, is the culmination of this process.
Honors Theses from 2021
Examining Two Perspectives on Kindergarten Readiness, Chloe Weddington
Developmental Disabilities in Children's Literature: A Creative Project, Alexandra Wertz
What’s in an ACE: The Role of ACE2 in COVID-19’s Tissue Damaging Effects, Christian White
A Study on Healthcare Barriers for Latinos in the United States, Meagan Wilson
Like Biological Clockwork: Time Judgements in Musicians and Non-musicians, Brooklyn Yates
Honors Theses from 2020
Goodbye, Team Basketball: How Superstar Athletes Affect Their Teams’ Retail Success in the NBA, Ryan J. Anglin
The Ultimate Accounting Need: A Universal Set of Accounting Standards, Joshua Cole Bailey
Chronic Illnesses: The Emotion Felt by the Children and Their Families, Abigail S. Barks
Silence is Deafening: Signing vs. Non-signing in the Home and the Impact on Mental Health in the Deaf Community, Holly A. Blades
Evolution of Yahweh: The Changing Interpretation of the Hebrew God Over Time Based on the Stories of the Old Testament, Flynn C. Blanchet
Forget 37 Weeks....Go the Full 40: Improving Maternal and Fetal Outcomes, Dara B. Bockrath
Making and Characterizing Semiconducting Polymer for Organic Electronics, Jessica Bone
"Relentless": The Social Identity of Chronic Illness and Disability, Mary Boujaoude
Boundary Value Problems at Resonance, Justin T. Bowman
A Study of Screen Time and Development in Elementary-Aged Children, Jacquelynn Brian
At Face Value: Factors that Affect the Same Race Bias, Nathaniel A. Britt
"Skin Cancer Types and the Effectiveness of Mohs Surgery Against Them", Andrew M. Brockman
Search for Antibiotic-Producing Microorganisms in Sites Affected by Acid Mine Drainage, Hannah A. Bussell
Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area, Rachel L. Carden OTS
Beyond the Veil of Ignorance: An Analysis of Global Regulations for Assisted Suicide and the Guided Next Steps for America, Abigail B. Coogan
Magnitudes of Effects of Recovery Methodology in the 21st Century, Hannah Cook
The Creation of Nona: A Look at Fantasy Literature, Real Life Trauma, and World-Building, Collin P. Davis
Raising Awareness: Creating a Children’s Book to Reveal the Responsibilities and Cultural Values of Latino/a Children, Edith Del Moral
The Question of Authenticity and the Costs of Cultural Tourism in Peru, Welsy V. Discua
Diversity in Children’s Literature: Gender Identity in the Elementary Classroom, Madeline J. Doolin
The Relationship between Autism and the Multiple Intelligences Theory: Identifying Patterns in Learning for Educational Purposes, Rhiannon M. Duvall
The Effects of Cognitive Training on Neurodegenerative Disease: A Proposed Study, Mark E. Dvornak
Hormones and Your Self-Definition, Allison Dyas
Echoes: Film Noir in the Contemporary Setting, Ahjani Evans
Depression and Mental Health Concerns in the Geriatric Community, William Feltner
The Case for Antonio: A Queer Voice Silenced by Prejudice, Jami Fisher
Quantification of Neurite Degeneration through use of an Optimized and Automated Method, Lauren Fuller
Could the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor p75NTR Help Unlock the Mysteries of Infertility?, Mayci Fullmer
Orff Schulwerk and Autism: Unlocking the Gifts of Students with Autism in the Music Classroom through Orff Schulwerk, McKenzie E. Garrett
Madame Bovary Syndrome: The Female Protagonist's Plight, Audrey C. Giesler
Systematic Review of Integrating Care to Improve Quality of Life Within Chronically Diseased Patients with Mental Illness, Brooke R. Goble
Surviving Cancer is not the end of the story: Effects of Chemotherapy on Heart Function., Jacey S. Griffith
Music From the Dark and Silence: Incorporating Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Visually Impaired Students into the Music Education Classroom, Emily Grindstaff
Writing Systems as a Reflection of Ancient Societies, Sarah M. Gripshover
The Comic Book Conundrum: Defining Comic Books as a Literary Genre, Dylan C. Guffey
A Bigger Pond: The Mental Health of Honors Students, Austin E. Hacker
The Cost of Healthy Living: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Crime, Max Hargett
Tax Administration Characteristics’ Impact on Taxpayers’ Perception and Compliance, Kelsie Head
Incorporating Diverse Literature Into the Middle Grades Classroom, Katheryn A. Heinrich
Bringing the Indie Music Scene to Lexington, KY: A Marketing Research Plan, Randall Heite
Gender Through Generations: How Gender Stereotypes and the Portrayal of Women in Children’s Literature Has Changed Over Time, Abigail Hester
The Relationship Between Gut Microbiota Diversity, Body Weight, and Plant-Based Dietary Patterns, Hannah Hillard
The Effects of Yoga on Balance for Elementary School Aged Children Receiving Occupational Therapy, Amelia J. Hunley
Developing a Paradigm for the Measurement of Cortisol, Megan N. Hurley
You’re Feeding Your Dog What? An Investigation into the Dog Food Industry, It’s Recalls, and The Market, Madison Hutchens
"Foreign" Language: Examining systemic attitudes, xenophobia, and foreign language anxiety, Olivia Jennings
The Extraction of Bovine DNA From Dermestid Beetles, Lucy Jones
Preserving a Heritage: Clog Dancing in Appalachia, Lacy Justice
Negative Perception of Generic versus Name Brand Pharmaceuticals, Rebecca Kavalauskas
Slipping Through the Cracks: Addressing Mental Health Needs of Students in the K-12 Classroom, Emily H. Kerr
Explaining the Role of Social Media in Political Polarization, Sarah King
The Shifting Imagery of St. Alexander Nevsky and Tsar Ivan IV and Their Implications for Russian and Soviet Culture Thirteenth to Twenty-First Centuries, John P. Kinnett
Substance Abuse: The Impact of Maternal Drug Use on Families, Anne Kinsman
A Brief History of the Social Construction of Terrorism Through Media: September 11, 2001 to Present, Laura Kirk
Arthurian Legend and its Connections to the Present Through Analyzing the Literary Themes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Arthurian Legend, Kimberly D. Kukla
Vaccinate her? I hardly know her!: Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy, Zachary M. Marcum
Puerto Rico Versus Florida, Emergency Operation Plans: Comparative Analysis Between Puerto And Florida, Kelli Mason
Investor Interest In CAT and Death Bonds, Kevin A. McKnight
A Heartbreaking Loss: An Analysis of the Long-Term Negative Cardiometabolic Effects of Unhealthy Bulking Practices in American Football Players, Brianna McManus
“What Did You Say to Me?” – Social Feedback, Body Image, & Eating Disorders in Modern Day Society, Caitlin N. Mehs
Metamorphosis: A Representation of Life Mistakes Through Portraiture, Alexander S. Mesones
Hugs, Not Drugs: A Program for Volunteers to Hold Infants Diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Brandon W. Messamore
Fostering Success: What Happens After the Transition Out of Foster Care?, Paige N. Mikels
Booked Up: An Appalachian Graphic Novel, Brandi K. Mills
Build A Website for AYU International Hotel, Dagmawi Negesse
Teaching Creatively: The Role of K-12 in Encouraging Student Creativity, Rebecca M. Norton
Reviving Clay in the Classroom: A Hand-Building Handbook for Art Educators, Josey M. Owens
Comorbidity of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Infertility, Brenna Payne
The Lynchpin of the Scottish Reformation: St Andrews’ Role in the Protestant Conversion of Scotland, Jennifer Perkins
Nothing Has Changed Since Yesterday, Why the Role of Social Media in Radicalization is more Complex than it Seems, Robert T. pollard
Understanding the Misunderstood: An Analysis of Special Needs Dentistry, Emma C. Reister
Going in Circles: An Exploration of Functions into the Circle Group, Renee O. Richburg
The Role of a Resident Advisor: Creating Residence Hall Communities that Foster Positive Mental Health, Leslie A. Richie
Insurance in a Pandemic: An Analysis on the Impact COVID-19 has had on the Insurance Industry, Brianna G. Robinson
Solutions to Dissonance: Solutions to the Gaps in the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Development of Students with Disabilities in the Music Classroom, Matthew T. Robinson
The Four Color Problem: The Journey to a Proof and the Results of the Study, Rebecca M. Rogers
Sexy Ed: An Analysis of the U.S. Sexual Education System and its Effects on Various Demographics in Relation to EKU Students, Danielle L. Rowe
More Than Meets the Eye: Why is it Difficult to See the Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Children?, Rachel Schworer
Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students in Central Appalachia, Lauren M. Shoemaker
Coal Culture- More Than Just Energy, Kristen M. Smith
Improving Safety Regulations to Decrease Respiratory Health Issues in Construction Workers, Kendall Stiens
A Nuclear Option: An Assessment of U.S. Preparedness for Modern Nuclear Conflict, Carter P. Stovall
Bilingualism in Speech Pathology, Haley J. Taulbee
Investigating the Gap: A Study of the Diversity in Elementary Literature, Sydney N. Taylor
Cuddling and the Born-Addicted Infant: Implementation of volunteer-based cuddling programs for babies experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Alexis L. Thompson
“Follow the leader?” Exploring the Benefits of Proactive Followership, Suzanna Q. Thompson and Kristen B. Wilson
“Bad Bucks to Sons of Bitches”: An Historical Analysis of Jack Johnson’s Impact on American Sport Media, Kaylee Thornsberry
Poetry as Activism: The Political Implications of Performance Poetry, Kyndall Tiller
Using Multimedia to Counteract the CSI Effect, Haley Wagner
Investigation of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Callie M. Whitus
