An Honors thesis is the capstone project for all students who plan to graduate from the Honors Program at USD. The thesis can take many forms – from a scientific experiment or literary analysis to an original novel, play, or music composition – and allows students to explore a topic they are passionate about. Honors students have a thesis advisor, a faculty member that works closely with them throughout their thesis process, and a thesis committee made up of a small number of faculty members and other stakeholders who do work related to the thesis topic. This support network helps guide students through their thesis process to a successful defense and completion of the project.

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Honors Theses from 2025

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Our Obsession With Serial Killers: A Jeffrey Dahmer Media Analysis, Aysia Jo Hall

Honors Theses from 2024

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Otherization and Healthcare: A Philosophical Analysis of Gender-Based Discrimination in Medicine, Rachel M. Beare

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The Role of Dating Apps in the Formation of Long-Term Relationships in College, Jalani Bodidasa

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The Impact of Religiosity on Students’ Experience at the University of South Dakota, Emmalee J. Bosma

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Monitoring Selenium Bioaccumulation In False Map Turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica), Grant M. Budden

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"They Just Needed to be Given the Opportunity": Judicial Perspectives of Drug/DUI Courts in South Dakota, RyLeigh A. Christopherson

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AMERICA’S PRISON SYSTEMS: BEGINNING THE SWITCH FROM PUNITIVE TO REHABILITATIVE, Sydney R. Clair

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THE DEARTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTH INSURANCE LITERACY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, Katherine A. Conzet

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Comparison of Perceived Stress in First-Year Pre-Med Students and First-Year Medical Students at USD, Maggie Derner

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Beer, Bourbon, and Bertrand: an Experimental Economics Analysis, Noah Cameron Dixon

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PERCEPTIONS OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS THERAPY ON CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, Kaitlyn Drilling

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Prosecutors’ and Police Chiefs’ Perception of Crime in South Dakota, Maggie Erickson

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MENTAL HEALTH AMONG COLLEGIATE ATHLETES, Stella Elise Fairbanks

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BEYOND AMATEURISM: EXAMINING THE POTENTIAL LABOR EXPENSES OF NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE EMPLOYMENT, Alayna K. Falak

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THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOMOPHOBIA: ANALYSIS OF DISCRIMINATORY MEDICAL AND LEGISLATIVE POLICIES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON HEALTH DISPARITIES, Kaiden J. Fandel

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User Perception of Gender Studies in Video Games, Quinn T. Gienapp

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Understanding the Importance of Dreissenid Mussel Mitigation in South Dakota, Allison P. Gross

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ANALYZING HEAT GENERATED FROM ELECTRO-OSMOTIC FLOW UTILIZING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS, Jordan Elizabeth Grothe

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Comparing Oxidative Balance of Summer and Winter Acclimatized Birds, Olivia R. Gulseth

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Generational Awareness of Folk Figures in the American Midwest, Addison L. Jensen

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STRATEGIES OVER KNOWLEDGE: TRAINING GAPS PRESENT IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER FOR PEDIATRIC AND STUDENT NURSES, Jasmine E. Johnson

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OLD NAGPRA-NEW RULES: THE NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION & REPATRIATION ACT IN CONTEXT, Nicholas S. Kennedy

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Major Injuries Sustained in Towable Watersports, Elijah J. Klein

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MEDIA CENSORSHIP’S DEVELOPMENT IN THE INFORMATION AGE: AUTHORITARIAN CASE STUDIES IN EUROPE DURING THE 20th AND 21st CENTURIES, Carter R. Linke

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Development of Equipment Testing Hardware for the SuperCDMS Experiment, Oleksandra Lukina

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Evaluating Neanderthal Depopulation with Direct Neanderthal and Châtelperronian Radiocarbon Data, Thomas K. Lyman

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Development of a Synthetic Biomarker System for Early Detection of Ischemic Stroke, Mason L. Matthies

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Measuring the Effects of Selenium Exposure on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) Growth in vivo in Larval American Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana)., Taylor Morrison

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Exploring Demagoguery and Political Rhetoric’s Impact Through Social Media, Avery Palsma

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A SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TWO COMPUTERS USING NOVEL FREQUENCY SHIFT KEYING TECHNIQUES, Jared Reyes

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Impact of Parental Spirituality on Child Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD After a Surgical Procedure, Ashlee M. Schendel

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NAVIGATING MURKY WATERS: STATE-LEVEL STRATEGIES FOR WETLAND PRESERVATION AND TILE DRAINAGE REGULATION AFTER SACKETT V. EPA, Caleb M. Swanson

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A Review of the Progression of Concussion Protocols used over time in High School and College Athletics, Renee M. Thompson

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STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE: THREE PERSPECTIVES ON BEST PRACTICES FOR HIRING PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, Elyse Whittemore

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Kicking Up Dust on Utah's Off-Road Vehicle Trails: PI-SWERL Assessment of Anthropogenic Dust Emissions, Wyatt A. Wiebelhaus

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Metabolic Scaling of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Jacob Woelber

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Bridging the Gap: Strategies for Enhancing WIC Participation Rates in South Dakota, Melissa K. Wyum

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Recidivism in South Dakota, Allison L. Young

Honors Theses from 2023

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Exploring the Relationship Between Civil Legal Assistance and the Outcomes of Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Victims: A Literature Review, Kailena E. Anderson

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UNDERSTANDING DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDES AND PATTERNS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO CAMPUS DINING SERVICES, Benjamin A. Bartling

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Investigating Telomere Lengths in Chestnut-Crowned Babblers, Gabriella Rose Beberg

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An Economic Analysis of the United Kingdom Given the Possible Effects of Overthrowing the Northern Ireland Protocol, Joshua P. Brink

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The Migrant Communities Of South Sioux City, Graciela DeAnda

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What Does the Current Research Say About Effective Strategies for Teaching Reading Fluency?, Talia E. DeWitte

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Examining the Benefits of Adding Mindfulness-Based Programs in the Curriculum of Undergraduate and Graduate Social Work Programs: A Review of Literature, Sarah M. Dickerson

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Physician Assistant Professional Issues: Optimal Team Practice in South Dakota, Michael J. Eggum

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Disease Prevalence and Selenium Bioaccumulation in Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens), Emily B. Eisenbraun

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Remote Monitoring of a Dark Matter Detector Power Supply, Sedonah L. Franzen

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No More Empty Stadiums: A Meta Analysis of Mega Sporting Events and Their Economic Impact, Tayte O. Gleason

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Oral Health in Relation to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Anika L. Gram

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Bipartisan Legislation in Supermajority State Legislatures, Ashley R. Gustafson

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Genetic Influences on the Response to Neuromodulation in Craving Behaviors, Carly J. Haring

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Measuring Selenoprotein Content in False Map Turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica) Along the Missouri River, Ruby A. Hawks

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HOW PHYLOGENY AND ARBOREALITY AFFECT PELVIC GIRDLE ANATOMY OF CHAMELEONS, Dakota J. John

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Discrepancies in the Estimation of Vaping Rates Among College Students, Cameron J. Klug

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The Relationship Between Cerebrovascular Impairment and Behavioral Abnormalities in Rats Exposed to Alcohol In Utero, Tiffany M. Knecht

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HOLLOW Mn3O4 NANOPARTICLES FOR CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF ALKENES IN AIR, Nathan R. Loutsch

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The Economic, Mental Health, and Social Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans in South Dakota, Savannah E. Lukkes

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Wastewater: History and Impact on Society, James H. Macy

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Investigating the Effects of Sex and Carvedilol on Ischemia Preconditioning Protective Effect, Casey JC Miller

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Horizontal Transmission of Salmonella typhimurium Among German Cockroaches and Possible Mechanisms, Madison Anne Mond

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ESG Disclosure Scores and CEO Compensation, Zane M. Rankin

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Forming a Global Citizen: Personal Development Through Study Abroad, Anna L. Reiter

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Ecological and Evolutionary Drivers of Chameleon Forelimb Variation, Ellie M. Schley

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DETECTION OF SARS-COV-2 MUTATIONS IN VERMILLION, SD, WASTEWATER UTILIZING PROBE-BASED RT-QPCR, Matthew J. Schmitz

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Assessing Gender Differences in USD Students in the Consumption of Pornography, Abbey Selleck

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Using µCT scans to create 3D skull puzzles as open-access pedagogical tools for anatomy and comparative osteology classes., Alexis Slack

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Midwest Opportunity Zones: A Regional and Comparative Analysis of Tract Selection, Breana R. Spinler

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Marijuana Use During Pregnancy: Outcomes for the Pregnant Person, the Fetus, and Provider Recommendations, Anna E. Sump

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COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE AND ITS PERCEIVED EFFECTS ON CANCER PATIENTS, Madison A. Sundvold

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WOMEN IN ORGANIZATIONS: LEADERSHIP AND OVERCOMING BIASES, Madison T. Witt

Honors Theses from 2022

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Study of Adaptive Radiation Effects on Sprint Performance in Anolis Ecomorphs, Alexander J. Bergeson

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TICK SURVEILLANCE AND PATHOGEN DETECTION IN EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA, Holly E. Black

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AN ANALYSIS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA, Alexandra J. Buss

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Memorable Messages in BRCA-positive Disclosures, Alyssa R. Cam

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Analysis of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks in Aging Flight Muscle of the Male Hawk Moth, Manduca sexta, Kylie N. Christiansen

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Factors Affecting Emergency Department Mental Health Visits, Logan Daul

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Bare: the Modern Female Nude Uncovered, Tasha A. Determan

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Investigating the Effect of Meaningful Relationships on Team Chemistry, Isabel N. Fairbanks

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Bilingual Behaviors: Learning Context in Second Language Acquisition, Sydney M. Fulton

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Integrating History into Healthcare: Understanding Links Between Past Traumas and Current Health Disparities within the Native American Population, Alison A. Gisi

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Juvenile Solitary Confinement and the Eighth Amendment, Taylor R. Graves

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Qualitative Analysis of South Dakota Community Health Needs Assessments, Rachel Greiner

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Convolutional Neural Network for COVID-19 Detection in Chest X-Rays, Joshua Elliot Henderson

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA FACULTY AND STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION, Morgan A. Hughes Mrs.

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ANTITRUST PHILOSOPHY AND ITS IMPACT ON RURAL INDUSTRY, Logan Gary Johnson

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT DATA COLLECTION IN SOUTH DAKOTA: A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON WITH IRELAND, Mattie J. Jones

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Barriers for Small Businesses to Adopt Sustainable Practices in the Sioux Falls Area, Meredith King

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EFFECTS OF PRE-LITERACY ON HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH LEARNERS (ELS) IN THE RURAL UPPER MIDWEST, Maciah L. Lorang

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To Live With, Serina Lund

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Cognitive Task Enhancement Through Alpha Neurofeedback, Hannah L. Meyer and Douglas Peterson

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EVALUATION OF ANTIBODY RESPONSE AGAINST G4 AND G1 EURASIAN AVIAN-LIKE H1N1 STRAINS WITH HA VACCINATION IN SWINE., Callie Jo Olson

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Assessing Student Utilization, Accessibility, and Awareness of Mental Health Practices at the University of South Dakota, Melissa N. Pham

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The Relationship between Pro-stress and Anti-stress Receptors in the Stress-Learning Brain Regions of Female Mice, Nathan Popp

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Women's Representation and Its Impact on Global Female Physical Security, Sydnee D. Pottebaum

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The Impact of Sleep on Athletic Performance: A Review of the Literature, Rylan J. Pratt

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Preventative Healthcare Programs, Caileb T. Reilly

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TROPHISH: BUILDING A GLOBAL DATABASE OF FRESHWATER TROPHIC INTERACTIONS, Jacob M. Ridgway

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Nitro-Aromatic Polymers for Conversion-Style Battery Cathodic Materials, Brady P. Samuelson

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Communication Disorders and Mental Health: A Scoping Review, Haven B. Schultze