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 2020

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A Performance and Pedagogical Approach of "Adagio" from Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, K.622, Nicole A. Pierson

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THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON MENTAL HEALTH, Xavier A. Pinex

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The Relationship Between LGBTQ+ Representation on the Political and Theatrical Stages, Brett V. Ries

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Influences of Anti-Bd Bacteria on Amphibians and their Microbiomes, Emme L. Schmidt

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Dementia: Types, What They Are and How They Differ, Jessica N. Schnetzer

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Review of Cerebral Palsy: The Various Intervention Techniques, Taylor Jo Schultz

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I See What You're Saying: A Deaf Culture And American Sign Language Awareness Event, Alexis M. Sejnoha

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Managing Chronic Pain Through Advancements in Transcranial Brain Stimulation Technology Currently Used for Depression, Ashley N. Skinner

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The NCAA's Breaking Point for Equal Opportunity: A Title IX Perspective on Name, Image, and Likeness Sponsorship Legislation, Joshua C. Sorbe

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Effect of Sport-specific Demands On Swimmer's Shoulder, Jordan A. Thielbar

Honors Theses from 2019

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The Role of Social Well-Being in Sustainability, Rachel Abele

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Social Discounting: An Examination of the Neural and Behavioral Performance of Individuals Making Altruistic Decisions about Family Members, Chesney Arend

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Assessing the Viability of Using Human Medical Cadavers as Research Subjects in Post-1950 Radiocarbon Dating, Natalie Basta

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Review of Risk Factors Associated with the Development of Iliotibial Band Syndrome in Runners, Kyle Bergeson

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The Biological Basis of Nervous Tissue Repetitive Strain Injuries in eSports Competitors, Katryna Booth-Malnack

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Surveillance of Ranavirus and Bacterial Microbiome Characterization of False Map Turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica) Along the Lower Missouri River, USA, Madeline McClaine Butterfield

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Application of Leininger’s Culture Care Theory in Family Medical History, Avery Del Grosso

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Music on the Plains: Felix Vinatieri’s Forgotten Legacy, Nicholas Demuth

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Evaluation of Antibodies Induced After Vaccination with H1N1 Vaccine Candidates Created by DNA Shuffling, Baylor DeVries

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DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS TO EVALUATE THE USE OF MEDI-551 TO TARGET CD19 TRANSMEMBRANE PROTEINS ON B-CELLS TO IMPROVE SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS, Natalia Dohman

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Ex Vivo Study of Skeletal Muscle Secretion of Interleukin-6, Anthony Drazick

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The Pathophysiological Implications of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Diagnosis and Treatment, Braeden Edleman

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2018 Department of Public Safety Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey Report, Olivia Edoff

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Implementation of Tracking System for Sexual Assault Kits in South Dakota, Regan Enos

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100 Years Later: An Analysis Into Factors That Affected Mortality During The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic, Austin Haack

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Machismo and Consequential Aphrodisiac Consumption in Oaxaca, Mexico, Brianna M. Harguth

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Evaluation of Self-Adjuvanting M2e Vaccine Efficacy in Response to Influenza A Virus Challenge, Dustin Heiden

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Oral Health and Awareness at The University of South Dakota, Hannah Hofmaier

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Are Women Benching Themselves From The South Dakota Judiciary?, Marcus Ireland

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A Traditional Medicine’s Deep Time History and Rethinking Depression, Nathan Jones

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The Effects of Acute Stress on Responses to Nociceptive and Non-nociceptive Stimuli, Danielle Mack

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Euphoria, Candra Mahrt

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Do it Yourself: Women and LGBTQ+ Musicians and Promoters in the DIY Midwest Music Scene, Morgan W. Matzen

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Age-Related Changes in two Muscle Enzymes of the Hawk Moth, Connor McMahon

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Human Trafficking in Ghana: A Comparative Analysis, Erica Miller

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An Integrative and Comparative Analysis of Transcriptome and Targetome Data of Medulloblastoma, Blaine Nelson

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The Inconfidêntes – A Play Inspired by the Inconfidência Mineira, Issac Otterman

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Honey Bee and Varroa Destructor Population Dynamics, Karissa Palmer

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Defining the Properties of the OS-33 Osteosarcoma Cell Line and Effects of mTORC1 Inhibition by Rapamycin, Mykayla Palmer

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Nonpharmacologic Interventions for Agitation in Persons with Dementia, Cassandra Pieschke

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Invisible Interactions: Communication Guidelines for Caregivers Facing Dementia-Induced Subjective Realities, Christian Pollema

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Truth, Karina Ramirez

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Music in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Declining Revenue in the U.S. Recorded Music Industry, Ward M. Reesman

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Examining the Early Stages of Adaptive Radiation in Anolis Lizards from Martinique, Patrick Alan Reiter

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Death, Taxes, and Climate Induced Flooding: How Local Governments Can Use Tax Policy to Implement Climate Adaptation Projects, Jacob Selgestad

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Whole Transcriptome Gene Expression and how it Relates to Muscle Performance in Anolis Lizards, Luke Smith

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The Effect of Exercise on College Students' Overall Health, Tanner Steineke

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Osteobiography of Ancient Egyptian Mummified Remains, 900-790 BC, Cassandra Tester

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The Effect of a Universal Basic Income on Life Decisions: Evidence from a Student Lab Experiment, Tyler Wenande

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International Inequality or American Atrocity?: A Comparative Investigation of Indigent Legal Representation in the United States and the European Union, Sydney Wilson

Honors Theses from 2018

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Who’s Your Perfect Person? A Study about Dating and Dating Factors, Jessica Allen

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Cultural Imagery’s Changing Place in Athletics, Cash Anderson

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Effects of Creative Therapies in Women Experiencing Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Caitlin Bolte

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Association Between Neuromuscular Characteristics of Agility in Jumping Tasks, Lara Boman

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Effect of Relative Humidity on Respiration and Metabolism in the Moss Physcomitrella Patens, Cami Brenner

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Factors Affecting Care Quality in South Dakota Nursing Homes, Brice Cowman

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Victims of Their Own Reluctance: A Legal Analysis of the United States and the Mine Ban Treaty, Ashley Flood

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Preventive Care In Rural Areas: A Cross-Examination Of The United States And Germany, Karlie Hinton

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Sex Ratio Significance and Implications in the Cooperative Breeding Chestnut Crowned Babbler, Kelly Howell

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International Diversification and Performance Prediction in Equity Investing, Tomáš Kameník

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Win Shares & Rookie Contracts in the NBA, Lucas R. Kobat

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Impact Analysis of Loved One Peer Coaching on Persons with the Disease of Addiction, Ally Krupinsky

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The Olympic Model: Mitigating Financial Corruption in Collegiate Athletics, Payton Larsen

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End of Life Care Medication Health Literacy Pertaining to Aging Adult Populations, Hanna Leschisin

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The Old, the Young, and the Dehydrated: comparing dehydration tolerance of ‘Gransden’ and ‘Reute’ ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens, Clay Lippert

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A CALL FOR COMPLIANCE AND CONTINUED EFFORTS TO INSURE THE “BEST INTEREST” OF INDIAN CHILDREN IN SOUTH DAKOTA, Tamee Livermont

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Experiences of Participants Receiving Nutrition Counseling in the Siouxland WIC Office, Alexandria M. Logan

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The Misspent Youth of South Dakota Native American Students: An Analysis of the Gear Up Grant Program in South Dakota, Anna Madsen

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Sport Motivation of Senior Athletes, Jenna Mammenga

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(Bi)Sexuality and Victim Blame: How Observer Sexuality Affects Attributions Of Blame in a Case of Acquaintance Sexual Assault with a Heterosexual Female Victim, Olivia Mann

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The Development of Incitement to Violence Regarding Freedom of Speech in America with a Short Comparison to Germany's Corresponding Development, Gabrielle Metzger

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Health Risks Associated With High Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Ways to Reduce Ingestion, Tyler Austin Pahl

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Weightism in Healthcare and Educational Efforts to Reduce Bias in Pre-Health Students, Matthew Preszler

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Identification and Entertainment Education in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: Bridging Communication Studies and Literary Analysis, Bailey Quanbeck

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Fragmentation Inhibits Pathogen Control of Outbreak Insect Lymantria Dispar, Jessica Romero

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Young Scientists: Development of an Interactive STEM Program for Students at Vermillion “Beyond School Adventures, Ellen Roufs

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An Exploratory Study of Influential Factors in Prospective Students’ Decision to Apply to the University of South Dakota, Taylor Schoenfelder

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A Nanoparticle Uptake Assay to Demonstrate the Role of FC Receptor Medicated Phagocytosis in Influenza Immunity, Jackson Shriver

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Theatre Beyond Words, Lauren Danielle Stacks

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Willingness to Enact Change: A Grounded Theory Study on Acceptance from a Trans Perspective, Megan Swets

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Efficacy of Hunger Strikes: How Culture Determines Efficacy of Hunger Strikes, Britney Thorns

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Exploring Media Use Among Sexual Minorities, Amy Trivedi

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An Analysis of World Reserve Currency Status on the Value of the U.S. Dollar, Jared Waltz

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The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in the Economic Development of Estonia, Stephan B. Weikert

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The Relationship Between Hegemonic Masculinity and Cognitive Thought Processes in Predicting Aggressive Behavior in Men, Aimee Wieczorek

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Characterization of the CIP Protease System in the Growth and Development of Chlamydia trachomatis, Nicholas A. Wood

Honors Theses from 2017

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The Old, the Young, and the Dehydrated: comparing dehydration tolerance of ‘Gransden’ and ‘Villersexel’ ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens, Katherine Bollinger

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A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF THE HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCES OF HISPANIC/LATINO PERSONS OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IN THE RURAL MIDWEST, Emily Pauli

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A NOVEL INDIRECT PATHWAY OF CRF INNERVATION TO PERIFORNICAL OREXIN NEURONS IS RELAYED THROUGH THE LATERAL SEPTUM, Timothy D. Skog

Honors Theses from 2015

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COACHING AND CONCUSSIONS: PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND PERSPECTIVE, Colby J. Felts

Honors Theses from 2014

“THE CHILD” AND OTHER COLLECTED WORKS, Rebecca M. Jarding

The Mexican Mafia in Supermax: Comparing Prison Gang Structures at Pelican Bay Zachary Koenig, Zachary Koenig

WALMART, A MODERN STANDARD OIL?, Maggie Lubeck

EFFECTS OF ADOLESCENT SOCIAL DEFEAT ON ADULT FEAR EXTINCTION, Mackenzie R. Mears

Observation of Attachment Behaviors in an Ecuadorian Orphanage, TiAnna R. Vogt

PERCEPTIONS OF CLOSENESS FACE-TO-FACE AND ONLINE, Anne Walker

Honors Theses from 2013

Predicting Major League Baseball Playoff Outcomes through Multiple Linear Regression, Zachary Firsick

Terra preta in a Temperate Climate: A Feasibility Study, Jordan Foye

From Jumping Ship to Jumping Bureaucratic Hurdles: The Evolution of U.S. Immigration Policy and The Story of My Greek Family’s Immigration to America, Christena Georgas

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Always Hope: The Matthew Jessen Story, Christopher Jessen