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.
Honors Theses from 2019
DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS TO EVALUATE THE USE OF MEDI-551 TO TARGET CD19 TRANSMEMBRANE PROTEINS ON B-CELLS TO IMPROVE SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS, Natalia Dohman
Ex Vivo Study of Skeletal Muscle Secretion of Interleukin-6, Anthony Drazick
The Pathophysiological Implications of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Diagnosis and Treatment, Braeden Edleman
2018 Department of Public Safety Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey Report, Olivia Edoff
Implementation of Tracking System for Sexual Assault Kits in South Dakota, Regan Enos
100 Years Later: An Analysis Into Factors That Affected Mortality During The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic, Austin Haack
Machismo and Consequential Aphrodisiac Consumption in Oaxaca, Mexico, Brianna M. Harguth
Evaluation of Self-Adjuvanting M2e Vaccine Efficacy in Response to Influenza A Virus Challenge, Dustin Heiden
Oral Health and Awareness at The University of South Dakota, Hannah Hofmaier
Are Women Benching Themselves From The South Dakota Judiciary?, Marcus Ireland
A Traditional Medicine’s Deep Time History and Rethinking Depression, Nathan Jones
The Effects of Acute Stress on Responses to Nociceptive and Non-nociceptive Stimuli, Danielle Mack
Euphoria, Candra Mahrt
Do it Yourself: Women and LGBTQ+ Musicians and Promoters in the DIY Midwest Music Scene, Morgan W. Matzen
Age-Related Changes in two Muscle Enzymes of the Hawk Moth, Connor McMahon
Human Trafficking in Ghana: A Comparative Analysis, Erica Miller
An Integrative and Comparative Analysis of Transcriptome and Targetome Data of Medulloblastoma, Blaine Nelson
The Inconfidêntes – A Play Inspired by the Inconfidência Mineira, Issac Otterman
Honey Bee and Varroa Destructor Population Dynamics, Karissa Palmer
Defining the Properties of the OS-33 Osteosarcoma Cell Line and Effects of mTORC1 Inhibition by Rapamycin, Mykayla Palmer
Nonpharmacologic Interventions for Agitation in Persons with Dementia, Cassandra Pieschke
Invisible Interactions: Communication Guidelines for Caregivers Facing Dementia-Induced Subjective Realities, Christian Pollema
Truth, Karina Ramirez
Music in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Declining Revenue in the U.S. Recorded Music Industry, Ward M. Reesman
Examining the Early Stages of Adaptive Radiation in Anolis Lizards from Martinique, Patrick Alan Reiter
Death, Taxes, and Climate Induced Flooding: How Local Governments Can Use Tax Policy to Implement Climate Adaptation Projects, Jacob Selgestad
Whole Transcriptome Gene Expression and how it Relates to Muscle Performance in Anolis Lizards, Luke Smith
The Effect of Exercise on College Students' Overall Health, Tanner Steineke
Osteobiography of Ancient Egyptian Mummified Remains, 900-790 BC, Cassandra Tester
The Effect of a Universal Basic Income on Life Decisions: Evidence from a Student Lab Experiment, Tyler Wenande
Honors Theses from 2018
Who’s Your Perfect Person? A Study about Dating and Dating Factors, Jessica Allen
Cultural Imagery’s Changing Place in Athletics, Cash Anderson
Effects of Creative Therapies in Women Experiencing Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Caitlin Bolte
Association Between Neuromuscular Characteristics of Agility in Jumping Tasks, Lara Boman
Effect of Relative Humidity on Respiration and Metabolism in the Moss Physcomitrella Patens, Cami Brenner
Factors Affecting Care Quality in South Dakota Nursing Homes, Brice Cowman
Victims of Their Own Reluctance: A Legal Analysis of the United States and the Mine Ban Treaty, Ashley Flood
Preventive Care In Rural Areas: A Cross-Examination Of The United States And Germany, Karlie Hinton
Sex Ratio Significance and Implications in the Cooperative Breeding Chestnut Crowned Babbler, Kelly Howell
International Diversification and Performance Prediction in Equity Investing, Tomáš Kameník
Win Shares & Rookie Contracts in the NBA, Lucas R. Kobat
Impact Analysis of Loved One Peer Coaching on Persons with the Disease of Addiction, Ally Krupinsky
The Olympic Model: Mitigating Financial Corruption in Collegiate Athletics, Payton Larsen
End of Life Care Medication Health Literacy Pertaining to Aging Adult Populations, Hanna Leschisin
A CALL FOR COMPLIANCE AND CONTINUED EFFORTS TO INSURE THE “BEST INTEREST” OF INDIAN CHILDREN IN SOUTH DAKOTA, Tamee Livermont
Experiences of Participants Receiving Nutrition Counseling in the Siouxland WIC Office, Alexandria M. Logan
The Misspent Youth of South Dakota Native American Students: An Analysis of the Gear Up Grant Program in South Dakota, Anna Madsen
Sport Motivation of Senior Athletes, Jenna Mammenga
The Development of Incitement to Violence Regarding Freedom of Speech in America with a Short Comparison to Germany's Corresponding Development, Gabrielle Metzger
Health Risks Associated With High Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Ways to Reduce Ingestion, Tyler Austin Pahl
Weightism in Healthcare and Educational Efforts to Reduce Bias in Pre-Health Students, Matthew Preszler
Identification and Entertainment Education in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: Bridging Communication Studies and Literary Analysis, Bailey Quanbeck
Fragmentation Inhibits Pathogen Control of Outbreak Insect Lymantria Dispar, Jessica Romero
Young Scientists: Development of an Interactive STEM Program for Students at Vermillion “Beyond School Adventures, Ellen Roufs
An Exploratory Study of Influential Factors in Prospective Students’ Decision to Apply to the University of South Dakota, Taylor Schoenfelder
A Nanoparticle Uptake Assay to Demonstrate the Role of FC Receptor Medicated Phagocytosis in Influenza Immunity, Jackson Shriver
Theatre Beyond Words, Lauren Danielle Stacks
Willingness to Enact Change: A Grounded Theory Study on Acceptance from a Trans Perspective, Megan Swets
Efficacy of Hunger Strikes: How Culture Determines Efficacy of Hunger Strikes, Britney Thorns
Exploring Media Use Among Sexual Minorities, Amy Trivedi
An Analysis of World Reserve Currency Status on the Value of the U.S. Dollar, Jared Waltz
The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in the Economic Development of Estonia, Stephan B. Weikert
The Relationship Between Hegemonic Masculinity and Cognitive Thought Processes in Predicting Aggressive Behavior in Men, Aimee Wieczorek
Characterization of the CIP Protease System in the Growth and Development of Chlamydia trachomatis, Nicholas A. Wood
Honors Theses from 2017
The Old, the Young, and the Dehydrated: comparing dehydration tolerance of ‘Gransden’ and ‘Villersexel’ ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens, Katherine Bollinger
A NOVEL INDIRECT PATHWAY OF CRF INNERVATION TO PERIFORNICAL OREXIN NEURONS IS RELAYED THROUGH THE LATERAL SEPTUM, Timothy D. Skog
Honors Theses from 2015
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
Always Hope: The Matthew Jessen Story, Christopher Jessen
THE MATRIX MODEL: A RESEARCH-BASED THERAPY FOR THE STIMULANT DEPENDENT, Jordana Renae Lamb
The Unrecognized Problem: An analysis of masculinity stereotypes in advertising across six channels, Darcy Semmler
EFFECTIVNESS OF NUTRITIONAL APPLICATIONS FOR USE ON MOBILE PHONES, Zachary J. Talaga
University Students’ Attitudes Towards Persons with Disabilities, Cristin C. Turner
The Creation and Distribution of an Album, Reid Turner
A Literary Review of Physical Therapy Treatments in Chronic Pain Patients, Kristin A. Wempe
Honors Theses from 2012
The Role of Serotonin in Aggressive Contests in the Stalk-Eyed Fly, Brenda S. Dick
FEMALE CHARACTERS IN MOZART’S OPERAS: POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE PORTRAYAL, Kendra Giesey
University Students’ Health Literacy in Relation to Perceived Parenting Styles, Kristyne Olson
Honors Theses from 2005
Laser Power Meter, Akinwunmi O. Odeniyi