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What is a Capstone Project in College?

The capstone project in college is the apogee, or completion marker, of a student's coursework leading to the culmination of their program with a degree in their chosen field of study. The original definition of a capstone focuses on the actual stone placed at the top of a wall or building, marking the successful completion of the structure. It's a significant and celebrated piece of architecture, considered to be the most important of an entire construction project.

"(Capstone projects are) the apex of all a student's work done throughout their college career," said Dr. Jeff Czarnec , a social sciences adjunct online and on-campus at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Retired after 23 years in law enforcement, Czarnec served as an associate dean of criminal justice and social sciences at SNHU for nearly a decade. He now leverages his extensive background to teach social sciences, enriching the academic experience with his practical insights. 

When entering a capstone course, there's an expectation that you have all the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful. 

You have the opportunity to pick a research topic that is of interest to you and run with it. "After having to write research papers in all of their courses prior to (the capstone), the task is not one to dread, but to enjoy. It is their time to shine as students and to enjoy the journey," MacCarty said.

A capstone course is more than a potential degree requirement. It can serve as an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge mastery and creative thinking, which may help you stand out to potential employers.

What is Involved in a Capstone Project?

Each university, program and instructor may have different requirements — or models — for a capstone project. According to Czarnec, a general design might first include selecting a topic of interest that the instructor will approve. 

Czarnec said that, depending on the program, a capstone may include anything from a video presentation or an architectural model to an art exhibit or short film; however, it almost always includes a paper demonstrating an introduction, theory, evaluation, research and individual issues relevant to the proposal.

"Students are expected to be ready to enter the world as professionals in their field upon completion of the capstone course," said MacCarty.

The time it takes to complete a capstone project usually depends on the course's length. If you're in an undergraduate online program at SNHU, for instance, your capstone course would take eight weeks to complete, Czarnec said. 

Capstone courses are research-based, and you can choose your topic early on, allowing you more freedom to conduct research  independently. Capstone topics usually align with a program's specific disciplines, too.

For example, in the social sciences realm, "our focus is on human behavior and cognition, which may be different from a capstone course in business or STEM," MacCarty said.

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Types of capstones.

There are many types of capstone projects that you could consider, and they vary from learner to learner, Czarnec said. "Some will investigate issues or phenomenon that they are familiar with either professionally, personally or courtesy of a discipline-related source, such (as) a police or human services agency," he said. 

In a nutshell, a rough outline of a capstone, according to Czarnec, may look something like this:

• Select a topic and have it approved by the instructor
• Evaluate relevance to the proposal
• Perform necessary research
• Present results in the agreed-upon fashion

Czarnec said that if you're looking for a capstone topic, you may consider focusing on an area you're passionate about or you could also try to ask you instructor for some assistance. For example, Czarnec said that he can act as a guide, mentor, editor and research resource for his students to help them focus and narrow their search for a capstone topic.

Are Capstone Projects Difficult?

"Not necessarily," said Czarnec. "It does force you to be efficient and very specific to topic. No fluff. Straight forward. Razor sharp." 

The capstone is more of an opportunity to catch your breath, he said, and to retrace and pull up what you have learned in a more stress-free environment .

"It helps validate students as learners," Czarnec said.

Depending on the major and course requirements, there may be opportunities to connect with outside contacts, not only to assist with the capstone project research and problem statement but also to provide a networking community .

"Not every research project is, nor should they be, the same," Czarnec said. "Everyone has a different approach."

What is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Capstone Project?

A capstone is similar to a thesis in that the starting point involves the strengths needed for a thesis or dissertation work. For example, you may need to consider the skeletal structure of research and form your theory, hypothesis and problem statement.

"While a capstone is certainly a scholarly piece of work and does share some aspects of a thesis, the time and detail that is required of a master's thesis is greater," MacCarty said. 

A capstone paper may be 25 pages, whereas a thesis could be 100 or more. If you choose to further your education beyond a bachelor's degree, the capstone project could be an invaluable tool in preparing for a graduate thesis.

Capstone Projects are About Your Success

Capstones of all programs are leading you to the end game, Czarnec said. The goal is to develop you into a well-rounded thinker who can pull their work together in a coherent, articulate, well-organized fashion while considering the demands of the profession or vocation you're interested in.

The focus and intent of a capstone should be to create an effective device to assess and measure all that you've learned throughout your program in an aggregate fashion so you can demonstrate your life-long vocational skills in a nice, neat package. 

"My goal is for students to leave the program confident about their skills and abilities," said Czarnec.

MacCarty said that capstone courses should be structured to support your success in fulfilling program requirements and allow you the opportunity to showcase your academic abilities and skills gained throughout your degree program.

A degree can change your life. Choose your program  from 200+ SNHU degrees that can take you where you want to go.

Laurie Smith '14 is a writer, editor and communications specialist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

Created by the Great Schools Partnership , the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM is a comprehensive online resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts, and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members. | Learn more »

Capstone Project

Also called a capstone experience , culminating project , or  senior exhibition , among many other terms, a capstone project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students, typically during their final year of high school or middle school, or at the end of an academic program or learning-pathway experience . While similar in some ways to a college thesis, capstone projects may take a wide variety of forms, but most are long-term investigative projects that culminate in a final product, presentation, or performance. For example, students may be asked to select a topic, profession, or social problem that interests them, conduct research on the subject, maintain a portfolio of findings or results, create a final product demonstrating their learning acquisition or conclusions (a paper, short film, or multimedia presentation, for example), and give an oral presentation on the project to a panel of teachers, experts, and community members who collectively evaluate its quality.

Capstone projects are generally designed to encourage students to think critically, solve challenging problems, and develop skills such as oral communication, public speaking, research skills, media literacy, teamwork, planning, self-sufficiency, or goal setting—i.e., skills that will help prepare them for college, modern careers, and adult life. In most cases, the projects are also interdisciplinary, in the sense that they require students to apply skills or investigate issues across many different subject areas or domains of knowledge. Capstone projects also tend to encourage students to connect their projects to community issues or problems, and to integrate outside-of-school learning experiences, including activities such as interviews, scientific observations, or internships.

While capstone projects can take a wide variety of forms from school to school, a few examples will help to illustrate both the concept and the general educational intentions:

• Writing, directing, and filming a public-service announcement that will be aired on public-access television
• Designing and building a product, computer program, app, or robot to address a specific need, such as assisting the disabled
• Interning at a nonprofit organization or a legislator’s office to learn more about strategies and policies intended to address social problems, such as poverty, hunger, or homelessness
• Conducting a scientific study over several months or a year to determine the ecological or environmental impact of changes to a local habitat
• Researching an industry or market, and creating a viable business plan for a proposed company that is then “pitched” to a panel of local business leaders

For related discussions, see authentic learning , portfolio ,  relevance , and 21st century skills .

As a school-reform strategy, capstone projects are often an extension of more systemic school-improvement models or certain teaching philosophies or strategies, such as 21st century skills, community-based learning , proficiency-based learning , project-based learning , or student-centered learning , to name just a few.

The following are a few representative educational goals of capstone projects:

• Increasing the academic rigor of the senior year. Historically, high school students have taken a lighter course load or left school early during their twelfth-grade year, which can contribute to learning loss or insufficient preparation for first-year college work. A more academically and intellectually challenging senior year, filled with demanding but stimulating learning experiences such as a capstone project, the reasoning goes, can reduce senior-year learning loss , keep students in school longer (or otherwise engaged in learning), and increase preparation for college and work.
• Increasing student motivation and engagement. The creative nature of capstone projects, which are typically self-selected by students and based on personal interests, can strengthen student motivation to learn, particularly during a time (twelfth grade) when academic motivation and engagement tend to wane.
• Increasing educational and career aspirations. By involving students in long-term projects that intersect with personal interests and professional aspirations, capstone projects can help students with future planning, goal setting, postsecondary decisions, and career exploration—particularly for those students who may be unfocused, uncertain, or indecisive about their post-graduation plans and aspirations.
• Improving student confidence and self-perceptions. Capstone projects typically require students to take on new responsibilities, be more self-directed, set goals, and follow through on commitments. Completing such projects can boost self-esteem, build confidence, and teach students about the value of accomplishment. Students may also become role models for younger students, which can cultivate leadership abilities and have positive cultural effects within a school.
• Demonstrating learning and proficiency. As one of many educational strategies broadly known as demonstrations of learning , capstone projects can be used to determine student proficiency (in the acquisition of knowledge and skills) or readiness (for college and work) by requiring them to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of their project

In recent years, the capstone-project concept has also entered the domain of state policy. In Rhode Island, for example, the state’s high school graduation requirements stipulate that seniors must complete two out of three assessment options, one of which can be a capstone project. Several other states require students to complete some form of senior project, while in other states such projects may be optional, and students who complete a capstone project may receive special honors or diploma recognition.

Most criticism of or debate about capstone projects is not focused on the strategy itself, or its intrinsic or potential educational value, but rather on the quality of its execution—i.e., capstone projects tend to be criticized when they are poorly designed or reflect low academic standards, or when students are allowed to complete relatively superficial projects of low educational value. In addition, if teachers and students consider capstone projects to be a formality, lower-quality products typically result. And if the projects reflect consistently low standards, quality, and educational value year after year, educators, students, parents, and community members may come to view capstone projects as a waste of time or resources.

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What Is a Capstone Project in University?

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Importance of Capstone Courses

Characteristics of capstone projects, capstone project vs. capstone course, examples across various majors, capstone project process, benefits for students, challenges and tips, frequently asked questions about capstone in university.

Confused with the concept of a capstone project ? As you approach your senior year, you might be hearing about this culmination project—whether a research endeavor, final paper, application, or portfolio— this academic endeavor aims to showcase the depth of your learning throughout your college years and prepares you for the professional world.

 In this blog post, I will explore what it means, how to prepare for it, and how you can bring this academic achievement to life. I'll guide you through this process, ensuring you have the support and resources you need. With the right guidance and understanding, you can transform this challenging task into an opportunity for growth and real-world application.

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Capstone courses are part of university curricula and are strategically designed to prepare students for a seamless transition from academia to the workforce. They may include research endeavors and theses. However, each has a distinct focus and purpose.

These projects often highlight practical applications and skill enrichment, making them more aligned with professional practice (often done as a group project).

On the other hand, research and theses contribute to the academic body of knowledge, delving deeper into theoretical aspects. Bridging this knowledge gap is essential to empowering students with the understanding needed to make informed decisions about their final-year assessments.

In a broader context, a capstone project is designed to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application. It provides a platform to reflect on academic journeys, apply acquired knowledge to real-world scenarios, and develop problem-solving skills. By addressing tangible challenges, learners enhance their readiness for the professional world.

The benefits of capstone projects extend beyond academic prowess. They empower students to navigate complex, work-related issues, through practical experience and fostering a deeper understanding on a particular subject.

This synthesis of knowledge and practical application enriches the graduate student's educational experience and typically involves graduates with a skill set essential for success in their higher education.

Although the terms "capstone project" and "capstone course" are often used interchangeably, it's necessary to understand their differences:

A  capstone project   is an independent assignment that encapsulates students' academic learning and demonstrates their proficiency in a specific discipline or field.

The focus is on individual research, problem-solving, or creative endeavors, providing a medium to demonstrate the knowledge acquired as students finish their studies. A capstone project is part of a course (think of it as a final assignment).

A  capstone course   contains a broader coursework and educational experience. It is an entire course (like any other) in which students incorporate and apply their knowledge gained throughout a program. It often requires students to collaborate on projects, engage in discussions, and participate in various activities. It can take longer to complete and varies depending on the institution. 

Students across different degree programs engage in multifaceted capstone experiences at the end of their college careers. These experiences can vary widely, from individual research to collaborative group endeavors, reflecting the essence of their academic achievements.

For example, in fields such as political science, students may delve into a senior thesis, conducting extensive research and showcasing their critical thinking skills.

Alternatively, within literature courses, the last capstone course may involve a comprehensive literature review, illustrating the culmination of knowledge and skills acquired throughout the course of the degree program.

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Many capstone courses extend beyond conventional research papers, requiring you to work on a final project addressing a real-world problem. This collaborative effort and practical method, which can be conducted in small groups, emphasizes teamwork, a significant amount of research, and a strong work ethic (fundamental skills that prepare students for the workplace).

In addition to meeting the degree program and requirements, these capstone experiences often involve a final exhibition, allowing students to present and demonstrate their problem statement to professors, other students, peers, and sometimes even external stakeholders.

A capstone course experience serves as a bridge to graduate degrees or even doctorates, honing research capabilities that are essential for success and develop the necessary skills for potential employers.

As Jolanta Burke and Majella Dempsey highlight in their Practical Guide for Students Book , commencing a capstone project is like constructing a house:

Firstly, you must establish solid foundations, much like a house, ensuring reliability. Then, continue learning and enhancing your skills to build it. Once armed with the necessary skills and information, the next step is to decide on the materials, devise a plan of action, and follow through until the house—your project—is complete and ready for use.

Just as a house requires a robust foundation, a capstone project initiates with meticulous planning. This phase encompasses defining content, goals, and methodologies, ensuring the project demonstrates most capstone courses.

For instance, if your project revolves around human-centered design, identify a problem, such as a shortage of shelters in a city, and conduct research. Then, the person and approach to solving this problem should be determined, perhaps by studying the owner of an existing shelter and identifying gaps in current approaches.

While delving into extensive research, it's crucial for students to hone academic capabilities by studying other courses and examining what has already been done about the specific problem. Seeking input from people, professors, and TAs are invaluable. Once enough material, like a literature review or interviews, is gathered, present it to your professor for feedback before progressing.

Pre-Execution

Jus like choosing construction materials for a house, students must decide on materials and formulate a detailed action plan, meeting degree or course requirements. This phase demands careful consideration of methodologies and strategies, emphasizing material determination—whether it's an app, a history psychology project, or any other course. Craft a structured plan and present it as a proposal before delving deeper into the subject.

The final stage involves executing the plan and completing the project, demonstrating the capstone experience. The research project needs to be prepared for use, showcasing the culmination of efforts.

Presentation

The presentation serves as the grand reveal of the completed project. A well-structured project and a compelling pitch, typically required, is essential to demonstrate its readiness for use.

This approach ensures a seamless transition from planning to execution, essential for success in capstone courses and the culmination of their academic journey.

The preparatory nature of these projects makes students discover what they enjoy the most, what comes easily, and the potential to find areas of improvement. The benefits are crucial for student' personal and professional development, providing a real connection between academic knowledge and real-world application.

Gaining Skills and Experiences

Capstone projects showcase the skills and experiences accumulated throughout a student's educational journey. From research prowess to critical thinking and effective communication, the project culminates in these proficiencies, bringing them to the student's forefront.

Practical Transition to the Next Phase

Capstone projects are vital in preparing students to transition to the professional world or advance in academic pursuits. It's a practical initiation into college career, familiarizing students with the challenges and responsibilities they'll encounter in their future careers or advanced degrees at other schools.

Initiation of Work or Advanced Studies

Working on a capstone project program allows students to navigate the complexities they'll encounter in their chosen field. This experiential learning program equips them with valuable insights and the confidence and adaptability required to transition to the professional world or pursue advanced degrees.

Holistic Development for Future Success

Capstone projects contribute significantly to students' and major programs' holistic development, ensuring they are academically qualified and possess the practical skills demanded by prospective employers for their future endeavors.

Here are some potential burdens and some capstone journey strategies that have helped me throughout my projects during school.

Choosing a Subject:

• Challenge:  Defining the size of your capstone project can be daunting. I recommend balancing ambition with feasibility. For example, if you are trying to help dog shelters, maybe focus on how to prevent owners from abandoning them by educating dog owners. In the case of a more research-based project, look at the literature review of your research focus and build upon what has already been investigated.
• Strategy:  Begin with a clear project scope and revisit the risks regularly. Prioritize key objectives to avoid complicating your project, and focus on a single issue .

Time Management:

• Challenge:  Capstone projects often overlap with other academic commitments. Time management becomes paramount.
• Strategy:  Create a detailed timeline, allocating specific tasks to manageable time frames. Regularly reassess and adjust as needed.

Research Roadblocks:

• Challenge:  Conducting extensive research may lead to information overload or difficulty finding relevant sources.
• Strategy:  Define research questions early. What is the project doing? For whom? In what builds upon? Utilize academic databases and seek guidance from mentors for targeted resource discovery.

Team Dynamics (if applicable):

• Challenge:  Group projects may need help coordinating schedules, differing work styles, or conflicting ideas.
• Strategy:  Establish clear communication channels, set expectations from the beginning, and address conflicts promptly.

What exactly is a capstone project?

A capstone project is a culmination endeavor in your last year of college. This final assignment showcases the knowledge you acquired throughout your college years. It's a bridge between academia and the professional world, demonstrating the complete scope of your learning.

How do capstone courses differ from capstone projects?

A capstone project is an independent culminating assignment reflecting academic individual proficiency. On the other hand, a capstone course is an entire academic course that may involve collaborative projects, discussions, diverse activities, and presentations.

What are the benefits and challenges of capstone projects?

Capstone projects offer transformative experiences, unveiling skills and experiences gained through academic years. The benefits include skill refinement, self-discovery, and a practical transition to the professional realm.

However, challenges such as choosing a subject, time management, research roadblocks, and team dynamics may arise. Strategies like clear project scoping, time management, focused research questions, and effective team communication can help overcome these challenges.

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6 Tips for Engaging Capstone Projects

Rather than creating a year-in-review capstone project, consider having students synthesize and personalize what they’ve learned, bringing it to a new level.

It’s that time of the year, the race to the finish, only weeks until school ends for the summer (at least for many of us). With the pressures of testing behind us, we often have a bit more freedom to create curriculum and activities for students. We can try out new ideas, give students more choice in what they want to learn, and celebrate the learning that we've accomplished this year. One way that many educators like to do these things is through capstone projects, year-end culminations that often invite students to engage in choosing what they want to learn, as well as how they learn it. Capstone projects are a great tool for personalizing learning, and they're effective for creating even more student engagement. Here are some tips to create excellent capstone projects.

Ensure "Main Course, Not Dessert"

This is always a good reminder. While capstone projects often draw on the entire year's learning, it's important to pose this question to students as well as reflecting upon it ourselves as educators: What new learning will occur in this capstone project? This is key to ensuring that a capstone project isn't simply a fun activity (although that's still a good intention), and it helps in creating a project that's more challenging and truly focused on new learning and experiences. This new learning could be in a different context or topic from what the class has done so far, it might require a variety of skills that they haven't previously combined, or it could be a synthesis of sorts. Reflect on how you can ensure that there will be new learning in your capstone projects.

Take It To Another Level

Projects should focus on depth, not breadth. If you have the ability to allow students choice in what they learn, consider having them revisit a previously learned concept, topic, or skill. To ensure not only engagement but also "Main Course," create rubrics with students that focus on their going deeper into the content. Instead of "meeting standard," focus the assessment and learning on "exceeding standard." When students engage with a challenge, we should take them beyond the opportunity to review learning by pushing the learning even farther in a capstone project.

More Voice and Choice

This is nothing new, but we can always think of new ways to offer choice to our students. At the end of the year, after we've pressed through most of our required curriculum and standards, we may have some wiggle room on what students can learn. We might offer choice in one way, but not in another. Perhaps we want to spiral review a writing skill for all students, but offer them a choice in what history topic they want to learn about. Or we might need students to learn a math concept that we haven't yet covered in the curriculum, but they can choose how they want to learn it and connect that concept to the real world. Have students make personal, meaningful choices. See my previous blog about voice and choice for ideas about how to create more engagement.

Make a Difference

One of my favorite ways of taking capstone projects to another level is through service and making a difference. When students see that their work matters, they will be engaged. There are, of course, lots of opportunities to make an impact outside of the walls of the classroom, whether in the community or globally. There are also great ways for students to make a difference in their own lives once they understand the personal impact that's possible. Start by asking then how they want to make a difference in their capstone projects.

Tell the Full Story Through Assessment

Often, capstone projects involve what could be called a portfolio of student learning, which includes many steps in their yearlong journey. These assessments, graded or not, are valuable artifacts that serve as a photo album of a learning continuum, rather than simple snapshots representing individual moments of learning. Capstone projects are about growth, and both teachers and students can use assessments from the capstone project as well as earlier in the year to celebrate the growth in learning. Students, parents, and teachers deserve to see this growth in order to be proud of their learning from the entire year as well as during the capstone project.

Experiment With "No Grades"

Often we use grades as a way to get students to learn rather than addressing a root problem -- our students are not engaged. While you might want to grade students on their work, you might also try the experiment of moving students away from grades as a motivator, and instead focus on the learning. Rather grading every part of the capstone project, consider grading only the capstone component. This is also in ideal place to start the conversation with students about how they want to be and should be graded. Consider using capstone projects to start a culture shift away from grades and toward learning.

I love implementing and watching students implement capstone projects. I'm inspired by the ways that teachers structure these projects and by the amazing learning that students share. Capstone projects are truly an opportunity to create meaningful learning along with powerful engagement and impact. How do you create engaging capstone projects?

Designing Capstone Experiences

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Starting with the graduating class of 2025, all Stanford undergraduates are required to complete a capstone project as part of their major (see  capstone.stanford.edu ).

Capstones have been identified as a high-impact educational practice , providing opportunities for students to integrate and apply what they have learned during their major courses of study, strengthen relationships with instructors and mentors, and experience a range of personal and practical benefits.

CTL is excited to support departments and programs in the implementation of capstones. For all questions, email Kenneth Ligda at [email protected] , or file a CTL consultation request .

Exemplary capstone projects at Stanford

Capstones may take many forms, ranging from honors theses to community projects, seminars to group projects, e-Portfolios to research papers.

Many models for successful capstones already exist across Stanford departments and programs. Here, we provide a few exemplars to give a sense of both the possibilities and practicalities in this work.

Each of these capstone exemplars excel in two critical areas:

• providing opportunities for student-guided learning
• structuring experiences to help students meet challenging goals.

Through the capstone, students are often tasked with open-ended questions that push them to find novel or original answers. This offers students a unique opportunity to explore their own interests and direct their own learning. Whether students work on a team-based or individual project, they must use the knowledge and skills they have gained throughout their education to tackle complex problems that are often interdisciplinary in nature.

Preparing students for this kind of work can be challenging. A good place to start is with the learning goals from our capstone exemplars. The instructors identify important learning goals for their students that will help them transition into independent work and guide their own learning throughout the capstone.

But what happens when a student struggles with these ambitious learning goals? The capstone exemplars also discuss how their capstones have evolved over time to provide students with continuous support and feedback to help them throughout their capstone experience. The instructors describe how their capstones are structured to ensure students have clear guidelines at the start of their capstone and multiple checkpoints to meet the intended capstone learning goals. 

Urban Studies

Bioengineering

Religious Studies

Human Biology

CTL offers the Capstone Experience Design (CapED)  program to all departments and programs conferring undergraduate major degrees.

CapED is a two-day intensive to focus efforts on designing a successful capstone experiences. Modeled after CTL’s renowned Course Design Institute (CDI), CapED provides departments and programs a collaborative environment in which to design capstone experiences for their majors. Teams or individuals are welcome, and may include faculty, lecturers, staff, and undergraduate majors.

In CapED, we apply current research in teaching and learning to design effective and inclusive capstone projects suitable for diverse student majors. Learning goals for CapED participants include:

• Articulating student learning goals for the capstone project
• Drafting a capstone curriculum aligned with capstone learning goals and the major curriculum
• Integrating research-based practices into the capstone curriculum
• Evaluating capstone design to ensure equity and inclusion for all majors
• Receiving feedback from mentors in departments/programs with a capstone project

CapED Workshops and Materials

We are not currently planning another instance of CapED, but if you or your department/program are interested, please contact Kenny Ligda, [email protected] , for workshop materials or for a customized offering for your group.

Capstone Projects

The Capstone is a culminating academic project experience that is completed within the confines of a semester-length course. Several Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) fields either require a capstone or offer the option to pursue one. In addition to the information below, review  Guide to the ALM Capstone Project website.

Types of Capstones

We offer two forms of capstone: Capstone Course (faculty directed) and Capstone Independent Project (student directed).

Capstone Course–Faculty Directed

For the ALM fields of anthropology, biotechnology, creative writing and literature, computer science, cybersecurity, data science, English, government, history, international relations, math for teaching, psychology, religion, and systems engineering capstones are courses designed by faculty members who bring together, in a structured syllabus, all the key learning outcomes of the field of study.

Our cybersecurity, data science, and computer science capstones are team-based projects that have a real-world industry partner as the client for your research.

While our creative writing capstone allows for ample room to work on individual artistic projects, but with the added benefit of weekly engagement with peers and the instructor–a supportive writer’s community.

Every effort is made to offer the same precapstone/capstone topics each year (e.g., human development, policy analysis, and social justice); however, topics are subject to change annually.

Good academic standing. You must be good academic standing to register for the capstone. If not, you’ll need to complete additional courses to bring your GPA up to the 3.0 minimum prior to registration. For detailed course description information, including specific registration requirements, such as credit minimums and academic standing requirements, use the Degree Course Search .

Tip:  Register on the first day of early degree-candidate registration to obtain a seat in these limited-enrollment courses.

Precapstones

The ALM fields of anthropology, biotechnology, computer science, creative writing and literature, cybersecurity, data science, English, government, history, international relations, psychology, religion and systems engineering have a required precapstone course that must be completed with a grade of B- or higher.

Mandatory Sequencing of Precapstones/Capstones. You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring), with the same instructor, and in your final academic year.

Due to heavy workload demands, all your other degree requirements must be fulfilled prior to capstone registration. The capstone must be taken alone as your one-and-only remaining degree requirement. You cannot register in any other courses along with the capstone.

It is critical that you draw upon your entire ALM training to produce a project worthy of a Harvard degree by committing to full-time study in the capstone.

Engaging in Scholarly Conversation . For precapstones in anthropology, English, government, history, international relations, psychology or religion, you need to have completed Engaging in Scholarly Conversation prior to precapstone registration. If you were admitted after 9/1/2023, Engaging in Scholarly Conversation (A and B) is required; if admitted before 9/1/2023, this series is encouraged.

Attempts . You have a maximum of two attempts at the precapstone course to earn the required grade of B- or higher. If after two attempts, you have not fulfilled the requirement (a WD grade is considered an attempt), your degree candidacy will expire. If by not passing the precapstone you fall into poor academic standing, you will need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the precapstone for your second and final time.

The second attempt policy is only available if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time.  If you attempt to complete the precapstone in your final year and don’t pass (including a WD grade), your candidacy will automatically expire. 

For detailed course description information, visit the Degree Course Search .

Capstone Independent Project–Student Directed

For global development practice, digital media design, journalism, museum studies, and sustainability, capstones are client-based or independent research projects focused on a current issue or problem that has become compelling for you during your course of study. The project represents your academic passion and professional interest. You complete the research individually (journalism) or in a classroom setting with fellow candidates (all other fields).

Journalism candidates should scroll down to Journalism Capstone. The following applies to:

• Global Development Practice
• Digital media design
• Museum studies
• Sustainability

Registration in the capstone for the above fields has the following prerequisites: (1) your specific research project must be approved several months in advance (prior to enrolling in the precapstone tutorial), (2) you must successfully complete the precapstone tutorial, and (3) the capstone must be your final, one-and-only remaining degree requirement. You cannot register for any other courses along with the capstone.

There are two major steps to obtain project approval.

Step one:  obtain advice right away. Once admitted to the program, meet with your research advisor early and often about your initial capstone research interests. He or she can provide support as well as course selection advice as you develop preliminary ideas. Please note that while every effort is made to support your capstone interest, guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revision or a change of capstone topic may be necessary.

• For museum studies your capstone will have a main focus on (1) business of museums, (2) collections care, (3) exhibition design, (4) museum education, or (5) technology. Whatever focus you choose, you must have at least two courses completed in that area before enrolling in the precapstone tutorial. If not, your enrollment will not be approved.
• Due to the highly technical nature of their projects, digital media students must meet with their research advisor, Dr. Hongming Wang, to discuss their capstone topics according to the following schedule. Between January 2 and February 15 for summer precapstone and between May 1 and July for the fall precapstone. Appointments can be scheduled through the Degree Candidate Portal. 
• Step two:  register for the noncredit tutorial. The semester before capstone registration (no earlier), you are required to (1) enroll in the noncredit Precapstone tutorial, (2) visit the  Guide to the ALM Capstone Project website  to read through the tutorial guidelines, and (3) submit your prework by the required deadline (see below in bold).

Prework demonstrates that you have done enough prior reading and research on your topic to begin the capstone proposal process. Registration in the tutorial is limited to degree candidates who submit quality prework. If your prework is not approved, you will need to spend time revising in order to re-submit for the next offering of the tutorial, if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows.

Once registered in the noncredit tutorial, you will receive guidance and mentoring while you iterate on your individual capstone proposal until the document reaches a satisfactory quality. The tutorial is not a course in the traditional sense. You work independently on your proposal with your research advisor by submitting multiple proposal drafts and scheduling individual appointments (ordinarily, during the hours of 9-5). You need to make self-directed progress on the proposal without special prompting from the research advisor.  While the tutorial is noncredit, your due diligence throughout the semester is required.

If you do not have a proposal that is close to being approved by the semester’s withdrawal deadline, you’ll need to withdraw from the tutorial, delay capstone registration, and re-take the capstone proposal tutorial again in a future semester, if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows.

• For the fall capstone, you complete the proposal tutorial during the prior summer term: Register for the Summer Precapstone tutorial March 1. Submit the first draft of the preproposal between  March 1 and May 15 . Actively participate in the tutorial during the summer and end the term with an approved proposal. Register and complete capstone in fall.
• For the spring capstone, you complete the proposal tutorial during the prior fall term: Register for the Fall Precapstone tutorial when registration opens in mid-July. Submit the first draft of the preproposal between  July 18 and August 1 . Actively participate in the tutorial during the fall and end the term with an approved proposal. Register and complete the capstone in spring.
• For the summer capstone, you complete the proposal tutorial during the prior spring: Register for the spring Precapstone tutorial when registration open in early November. Submit the first draft of the preproposal between  November 7 and January 2 . Actively participate in the Capstone Proposal Tutorial during the spring and end the term with an approved proposal. Register and complete capstone in summer. This sequence (spring tutorial, summer capstone) is required for international students who need a student visa.

Please note that not all fields offer a capstone each term. Refer to your field’s Degree Course Search for the schedule. 

Human Subjects

If your capstone will involve the use of human subjects (e.g., subject interviews, surveys, observations), review the Human Subjects section on the  Guide to the ALM Capstone Project  website  to learn Harvard University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval process.

Journalism Capstone

Over the course of the capstone semester for  JOUR E-599 , you’ll conduct an in-depth investigation of a single topic and emerge with a portfolio of new work suitable for publishing, posting, or broadcasting. The portfolio requires you to produce several (at least three) related stories on one topic written specifically for the capstone course. (No prior work can be used.) The stories are completed over the course of one semester.

You can register for the capstone once you complete 36 credits, and you work independently to complete the project within a semester time frame. The capstone can be, and often is, completed at a distance.

To begin the capstone approval process, you schedule an appointment with your research advisor, June Erlick, ( [email protected]) , to discuss your capstone ideas. 

While every effort is made to support your capstone interest, guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revisions or a change of capstone topic may be necessary before it is approved.  As in all traditional journalism, projects must take a fair and balanced view by bringing in differing points of view.  Projects should not be one-sided or take an advocacy stance.

Once a topic is approved, you submit the first draft of your capstone proposal. (Visit the  Guide to the ALM Capstone Project website  to read the specific guidelines for Crafting the Capstone Proposal). Ms. Erlick supports you through the fine tuning of the proposal and works with the Journalism program office to identify a capstone director. Once approved, capstone topics cannot be changed. In the unlikely event that you cannot continue with the project as approved, you must request and receive written permission to pursue a new topic from Ms. Erlick.  

A capstone director is a journalism instructor or professional in the field who has expertise relevant to your capstone topic. The final decision about who will serve as director is made by the Journalism program office; however, you are welcome to request a particular instructor. However, we ask that you  not  contact an instructor directly prior to capstone approval.

You are expected to work independently on your project with support and direction from the director. The capstone director will meet with you several times over the semester to answer questions, discuss your progress, read drafts, and offer feedback. The director also grades the final project.

Journalism Timeline

• Fall capstone: Meet to discuss capstone ideas by May 1. Submit first draft of capstone proposal by June 1.
• Spring capstone: Meet to discuss capstone ideas by September 1. Submit first draft of capstone proposal by October 1.
• Summer capstone: Meet to discuss capstone ideas by February 1. Submit first draft of capstone proposal by March 1

Final Capstone Grade

You need to earn a grade of B- or higher to earn degree credit for the capstone. If you earn a grade below a B– (including a WD), you will need to petition the Administrative Board for permission to enroll in the capstone for one final time. The Board only reviews cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the capstone.

Moreover, the petition process is only available if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time. Your candidacy will automatically expire if you do not successfully complete the capstone requirement by your required deadline.

If approved for a second attempt, you may be required to repeat the precapstone course or the non-credit precapstone tutorial. Please note that you cannot choose a different precapstone/capstone sequence to gain additional (more than two) attempts at fulfilling the capstone requirement for your degree.

If by not passing the capstone you fall into poor academic standing, you’ll need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the capstone for your second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time to take additional courses.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Introduction

Welcome to Capstone Projects in Education: Learning the Research Story. This book is designed to facilitate understanding of educational research and guide the development and the writing of a capstone project. Scholarly research follows a basic format, though each discipline has its own variations. The discipline of education is no different. In education, like other social sciences, we are investigating issues directly involving or influencing humans. Research involving humans can be a complex and awkward endeavor. However, if we view this endeavor through the lens of a research story, we find a familiar genre we can relate to and understand.

The book is divided into two parts. Part I – Research, Forms, Functions, and Skills explores the fundamental forms and functions of various graduate research projects. These chapters will introduce you to the ways in which we can tell a research story. We will also investigate the essential writing skills required to effectively write your research story. Academic writing rarely comes naturally to students. In these chapters, you will learn to tell your research story while also learning to write the story in a scholarly way.

Part II – Capstone Components of this book is dedicated to exploring each component for developing and writing a capstone project. We will explain each of the components through the story of a “slow cat.” The story of the slow cat is designed to assist the reader in drawing analogies to their research. As the story develops over the course of the chapters in Part II, you will see how a research project is created, how it progresses, and how it is concluded. Each chapter begins with a segment of the story of the slow cat, followed by an interpretation of the story related to the project component. The chapter continues with explanations, discussions, and information to facilitate your understanding and writing of the component.

The  Capstone Projects in Education: Learning the Research Story is written for graduate students engaged in a research project. However, the components of research apply to any level of education research. The hope is this text will make the basics of educational research projects more accessible to all. Telling the research story is an important pursuit to support educational change and improvements. While most graduate education programs require some form of research, we believe that it does not have to be the “hardest,” “most challenging,” or “most painful thing” encountered. If we can connect students to the research story, perhaps we will see higher-quality projects and some amazing innovations to enhance education for the betterment of all humans!

As a final note, be aware this book does not include a deep dive into research design, nor does it contain an exhaustive treatment of the components of educational research. We encourage you to seek other resources that are specifically written about your research design of choice. There are many textbooks available on research. Supplement your learning as needed, is our advice.

Capstone Projects in Education: Learning the Research Story Copyright © 2023 by Kimberly Chappell and Greg I. Voykhansky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Top 7 Myths About Capstones

The top 7 myths about capstones.

A student at Siembra Leadership High School presents her learning in a formal presentation in front of her teachers, mentors, and community members.

In New Mexico, a major policy shift is taking place: senior capstone projects will be a new pathway to graduation . This new project-based graduation pathway culminates with senior exhibitions—known as “capstones”—to demonstrate learning, as an alternative to standardized tests. 

Across the state there is confusion about what a capstone is and how it will affect our students and educators . Read on to learn why many of these misunderstandings are myths that are readily debunked…

1. “Capstones are only for students who flunk the test.”

Capstones have been used as an “Alternate Demonstration of Competency” for graduation in New Mexico for many years—an option for students who did not pass the myriad exit exams offered. This has led to the misperception that capstones are a “last resort” option for students who struggle with standardized tests. 

It is true that capstones are a great option for learners who under-perform on bubble tests because of anxiety, ADHD, or other factors. However, they also serve the needs of students who normally perform well on tests, too. This is because capstone projects are individualized and tailored to the student’s specific learning style.

New Mexico is moving to a new model where capstone assessments are not an “alternative” but are instead of equal weight and merit to the SAT.

“Capstones are completely student centered, allowing them to showcase their passions, intentions, joys and strengths. You really see kids shine.” -Local district leader

2. “Capstones are too hard.”

Yes, capstones do require preparation, practice, and deep learning to prepare and succeed at a cumulative exam. However, instead of compartmentalizing learning into strict subject areas, capstones give students opportunities to demonstrate a variety of skills, talents, and learnings over the course of a multi-dimensional project assignment on a subject of their choosing. Doing so removes the pressure of a snapshot assessment. In this way, a capstone isn’t “harder” than a traditional test, because the student has been thoroughly prepared and embedded in the learning.

Whether a capstone is “hard” compared to a bubble-test assessment is almost an “apples and oranges” comparison. The difference is, instead of a standardized test as the final demonstration and proof of mastery of key high school competencies, the student presents their semester-long (or multi-year in some cases) research and findings in a capstone presentation in front of their peers, teachers, and parents. The work is indeed challenging, but the student is supported and mentored by their teachers and community leaders throughout the entire learning journey.

“At our school we call capstone presentations ‘celebrations of learning’. It’s a time for students to show who they are culturally, showcase their identity and passions, and feel purposeful.” -Local principal

3. “Capstones are too easy.”

Capstones are sometimes misunderstood as busy work or simple community service hours. Rather, they are rigorous, well-rounded academic undertakings. 

Capstones require research, community input, analysis, experimentation, public speaking and a formal presentation. Many educators compare the project to a National Science Fair presentation—or better yet, a Master’s dissertation.

The rigor of a capstone comes from its comprehensive nature: the work requires social-emotional skills for team work and community outreach, professionalism and office skills to work on-site with industry mentors, and research and analysis skills for collecting and interpreting data. Capstones are in no way “easier” than standardized testing—they are simply different, and more comprehensive.

4. “Capstones make more work for the teacher.”

It’s true that capstone projects are highly individualized—meaning the teacher may manage up to 30 different student projects at once. This may seem like a larger workload for the teacher, but when capstones are implemented with adequate support and training, they do not require more effort. 

In fact, students are given voice and choice in the process and guide much of the work with teacher and community support. Capstones can engage students as change agents in their communities and can be cultivated in partnership with community members, further lightening the load for educators. 

Instead, many teachers report that capstone projects reawaken their personal passion for teaching. Unlike standardized tests which are disconnected from students’ lives, capstones give room for deep connection to students’ curiosities, cultures, interests, and community identity. 

Capstones give teachers more autonomy and creativity to rethink assessment for themselves and their students. Instead of being judged solely on annual testing data, capstones give teachers the power and freedom to serve the academic, cultural, and linguistic needs of individual students and their specific communities.

“When I do this kind of work, I’m reminded why I began teaching. School is a place to make the community a better place, where students can truly shine. Capstone curriculum actually makes teaching so much more gratifying and purposeful.” -Local teacher

5. “Capstones are hard to grade. Standardized testing is the only way to get quantifiable results.”

While grading capstones is different from processing scantron sheets, it still results in quantifiable data and proof of mastery metrics. 

Capstones change the culture of accountability. Because the rubric for demonstrations of learning is in-depth and multi-faceted, capstone data must be processed differently. One argument in favor of standardized testing is that by processing test scores with computers, the results are cheaper and more efficient. In turn, capstone assessments are more meaningful because they are scored by educators and community members, providing students with actionable feedback.

Capstone success can not be processed by a global testing conglomerate. And that is exactly why capstone assessments are a deeper, more community-centered measure of college readiness and subject mastery. This rich, qualitative data is of equal importance and easier to understand by students and families than quantified test reports that do not reflect their full learning and growth experiences in and out of school.  

Graduate profiles are an important tool to understand the knowledge, skills, and attributes that young people should graduate with, in addition to key high school competencies. This process requires student, family, educator, employers, and community member input to define the graduate profile. Doing so creates more transparency for student outcomes and learning. Capstones defined by school and community provide a clearer understanding of student learning, community impact, and college readiness than scantron data. This ultimately leads to better performing schools that are in service to the needs of their students and community.

6. “Capstones don’t prepare students for college.”

Capstones are better at preparing students for college than standardized tests. Work-based and project-based learning equip students with the real-world 21st century skills needed in college and the workforce. Several capstone models already in New Mexican schools align capstone work with dual credit offerings, providing students an opportunity to earn college credit in classes that enrich their capstone learning experience. 

Where standardized testing data would judge college readiness based on a math and reading score, a capstone would determine readiness based on a full range of soft and hard skills such as: empathy, critical-thinking, resilience, community-mindedness, scientific methodology, and problem-solving. 

There is a growing number of colleges and universities that no longer require standardized test scores for admission, given that they are not a direct predictor of success in college. In fact, larger tech companies have also grown wary of hiring Ivy League graduates, many of whom were offered admission based on their standardized test scores. Tech companies have observed these students’ limited readiness to problem solve and work collaboratively.

7. “Students don’t like capstones.”

In our work at Future Focused Education, the Leadership High Schools Network, and the New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative, we see an overwhelming majority of students prefer and advocate for capstones over standardized testing.

The strongest argument is to hear from the students themselves. Here are some quotes from a recent focus group conducted by the New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative:

“Capstones showcase our understanding of the world, and explore yourself as a person.” “They give us freedom, and allow us to express ourselves and be creative. It helped me feel independent.” “Standardized tests make me so nervous, and don’t accurately show what I’m capable of.” “My capstone project gave me a reason to go to school every day.” “You can pick anything! You get real work experience and it looks great on your resume. You find out what you love doing, and experience is hard to get on your resume in high school otherwise.” “Your community becomes your accountability. That’s way bigger than a test.” -Local students

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Home > HSEL > HSEL Student Capstone Projects

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Browse this collection of Capstone Projects submitted by students completing their master’s degrees in the Hamline School of Education and Leadership. Capstones are the culminating degree work and include research that draws from the student's formal study as well as professional and personal development. Submissions include a scholarly written description of the project and may include the project artifact (as a supplemental file).

Capstone Projects are documented in Digital Commons as a degree completion option, starting in 2017.

See also: School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

• Master of Arts in Education (MAEd)
• Master of Arts in Education: Natural Science and Environmental Education (MAED: NSEE)
• Master of Arts in English as a Second Language (MAESL)
• Master of Arts in Literacy Education (MALED)
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

Capstone Projects from 2023 2023

Equity In The Math Classroom How Math Teachers Can Achieve Equity Despite District’s Budget , Tony Edward Kohanek

Implementing Nature-Based Play In Academically Focused Early Childhood Settings , Abbie Krohn

Best Practices: To Supporting and Including SLIFE, Preliterate, Pashtu Students in Secondary, Western, Schools , Claire Madden

Anxiety Disorders In Elementary Students: Interventions For Classroom Use , Jillian Maloney

How does Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, and Phone Addiction affect Elementary Student Learning? , Madeline (Marston) Ballis

Folktale Friends: An After School Club Curriculum For Building Community And Cultural Competency , Abby Marta

Using Cooperative Groups to Enhance Student Learning in a High School Math Class , Caitlin McCain

Helping Female and Nonbinary Identifying Students Grow Confidence in the Science Classroom , Mari McDonald

English Language Arts Curricular Interventions and Achievement in Advanced First Grade Learners from Underserved Backgrounds , Nicole McKenzie

In what ways are schools, districts and states proactively supporting the mental health of their teachers to reduce teacher turnover and burnout? , Lauren Meyer

Educating Paramedics on the Importance of Postpartum Maternal Health and Related Emergencies , Jeffery Morgan

Increasing High School Students’ Environmental and Scientific Literacies Through Outdoor Investigations , Mack Mowen

Correlations between Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Awareness in Participants with Various Ages, Cultures, and Abilities , Jackie Murphy

Utilizing a School Garden to Promote Ecoliteracy in Elementary Aged Children , Kelsie Murphy

How to Design and Implement a Maker Space in the K-3 Classroom , Elizabeth Nelson

How Adult EFL Teachers Can Effectively Utilize Duolingo in Their Curriculum , Rebecca Nelson

Creating Inclusive Spaces: Using Book Clubs to Increase Diverse Literature in Schools , Clare Ng

A Need For Culturally Relevant Texts To Motivate K-2 Students In Reading , Thi Hoai Anh Nguyen

Role Playing Gamification in the Science Classroom , Timothy Normandt

Elevating Student Voices Through Rigorous Academic Discussion: A Unit of Study for the Middle School English Language Arts Classroom , Emily O’Brien

How Can Guest English-speaking Teachers Best Promote Students’ Identity and Culture in South Korean Schools , Tracy Olsen

Equitable and Inclusive Dance Assessment Resources , Christie Owens

Informal Education Builds Deeper Knowledge And Connections With Elasmobranchs To Develop An Understanding For Environmental Conservation , Lacie Ownbey

An Effective Small Group Reading Intervention Scope And Sequence For Students In Grades Three To Five , Caitlin Phan

Metaphor Matters: Teaching Metaphoric Competence , Linda Pope

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Cool Course: The Capstone Project for the MA in Teaching

• Posted by by Carrie Lynn Hawthorne
• April 22, 2024

“There’s a sense of fear that teachers have about getting their kids to think critically, or really challenge the narratives that are the common tropes that we hear, that aren’t actually true,” says Heather Cheney. This fear can come from trying to find ways to tackle difficult subjects like environmental catastrophes and wars, but it also comes out of the fear of discipline from state laws and local school boards that are increasingly targeting teachers with disciplinary action for, in some cases, teaching about slavery, gender identity, and LBGTQIA+ communities. As Cheney explains it, this fear and the silence it causes can stop teachers from “getting kids to think more critically about history and to think about links between what’s broadly happening in the world and how it affects their day-to-day lives.”

Today, Cheney works to resist this pattern and instead encourage critical thinking in her roles as Core Faculty in Antioch University’s School of Education and Co-Director of the Seattle-based MA in Teaching . And one of the key ways faculty in this program encourage teachers in training to resist the forces of fear and silencing is through the Capstone Project. 

The Capstone Project is a student-driven project focusing on a topic of particular interest to students. In the course, which was developed by and is often taught by Caryn Park, faculty encourage student teachers to take what they have learned about teaching and put it all together to act as changemakers in their schools and in their communities.

A Project Combining Math and Storytelling

“Capstone allowed me to merge what I learned in the program with who I want to become as a teacher,” says Cheneka Shannon, an alum of MA in Teaching program. Shannon used her Capstone Project to explore using the power of storytelling to help teach math. 

For Shannon, this was a problem that affected her own classroom. She was teaching second graders, and gradually, she realized that she was having as much trouble teaching math as her students were having understanding it.

Shannon decided to experiment with using storytelling to help her students who were struggling with math—this was not only a way to provide them with a very human connection, but it was also an opportunity to use diverse texts to help BIPOC students feel seen. Stories, she reasoned, are how we connect with people, and they’re also a great way to get kids to remember information. 

The experiment was broadly a success. Using stories that spoke to students’ identities and interests taught Shannon the impact of putting the student first, not the curriculum. Shannon reflects, “I learned the importance of making sure all scholars, especially those who are marginalized, are prioritized and given space to feel seen and heard in my class.” 

When she wrote up her report on the capstone project, she realized that it also started out with once upon a time . It was another powerful story to tell. Explains Shannon, “I wanted to navigate my audience through my journey, starting from who my students were—brilliant, diverse, funny—to how I taught most of the content areas using stories, to being very candid about my struggle with teaching math.”  

Teaching as Social Activism

Cheney sees teaching as a form of social activism, and she says that today, we need the people educating our children to be fearless and to stand up for what’s right. That’s why so many of the programs in Antioch’s School of Education center around anti-racism and social justice. As MA in Teaching students come to the end of the one-year program, they have so many ideas around these topics. The Capstone Project offers a perfect chance to dig deeper into a topic and put it into action.

Cheney hopes these projects help teachers realize their own agency and the importance of sharing their gifts with their students. Today, many public schools require teachers to follow pre-written lesson plans that remove much of the creativity of teaching. “Especially as a new teacher, you feel vulnerable and think, I can’t take a risk, I can’t go off-script,” says Cheney. She says that at the start of a teaching career, it can feel overwhelming to jump into such weighty topics. She sees teachers telling themselves, “These things are just too big, and I don’t know enough about them to really dig into these questions.”  

But Cheney encourages new teachers to do just that—to dig into the big ideas. And she explains that when they do, not only do their students learn from them, but so do their fellow teachers. As she says, “I think what they gain most from each other is inspiration and courage.” 

For Cheney, the best thing about the Capstone Project is, as she puts it, the way that it “connects students’ vision and mission as social justice educators to the real needs of the context that they find themselves in and allows them to go deeper into those particulars.” Each project is different, but they share the characteristic of responding to the social justice needs of students and communities.

Shannon agrees that this is important. She says that as education becomes more politicized, “it has become much harder to safely teach with social justice as the foundation.” The Capstone Project can offer students a key testing ground.

“I think public education can be a space where we can move toward a more just society,” says Cheney. “And I think part of a thriving democracy is having a space where no information is put aside because it might make people in power uncomfortable, critical thinking is embraced, and important questions are asked about whether we’re living up to our best selves.”

Carrie Lynn Hawthorne

Carrie Lynn Hawthorne is a writer and mother from Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in  Cultural Daily, The Hennepin Review, The Sunlight Press,  and elsewhere. She is an MFA candidate at Antioch University Los Angeles. For links to her recent publications, visit  carrielynnhawthorne.com .

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• LEARNING FROM LEADERSHIP CAPSTONE PROJECTS

Andrew J. Wefald, Mac T. Benavides, Aliah K. Mestrovich Seay DOI: 10.12806/V21/I3/R3

Introduction

After five years of teaching a capstone leadership course and using the same student driven capstone project, the instructors of the course started noticing trends in the kinds of projects the students chose. These discussions trended towards some agreement on the categories of projects students decided to pursue. At one point, the authors asked what a qualitative research approach would reveal about these categories and topics students chose. We asked ourselves, what can we learn from capstone projects in leadership programs? What areas of leadership development do students seek out through capstone projects for a four-year leadership studies minor? What can this tell us about the program from an evaluation perspective? The purpose of this work is to examine the capstone leadership projects from a four-year leadership minor. Leadership programs across the world are becoming more prevalent due to the perceived need for leadership capacity in increasingly turbulent times (Hotho & Dowling, 2010). Higher education has responded to this need by offering academic and co-curricular leadership programs for students (Schwartz et al., 1998). Additionally, literature supports the need to support students transitioning from higher education to career (Anderson et al., 2012). Given the breadth and depth of current leadership programs, instructors at a four-year leadership program in a large research university in the Midwest region of the United States began an experiment with a senior year capstone project called the individual leadership education and development (iLEAD) project. This assignment allowed students to choose their own capstone project depending on their interests after having (nearly) completed a multi-year academic minor in leadership studies, and the project was framed in such a way that students were asked to focus on topics they felt they needed to further explore as part of their leadership learning. Over several years of assigning the iLEAD project, the instructors began asking what senior-level students were saying they still needed in terms of leadership education and development after going through a four-year leadership minor involving both curricular and co-curricular components. This broad research question became more specific over time and developed into the examination outlined in this study regarding the topics chosen for these projects. Through an examination of these project topics, we aim to explore how leadership education programs can assess potential gaps in leadership education curricula by tuning into student-driven learning experiences.

The iLEAD project is a semester-long project through which students identify what they want to work on in terms of their leadership development. As the instructors gained experience in administering the assignment, the projects appeared to fall into several common categories. Anecdotally, these categories included (a) working to be less introverted, whether through gaining more confidence or by practicing extraversion; (b) learning to listen empathically; (c) practicing self-care; (d) delegating/stepping down from a role; (e) leading or engaging with community-based projects (e.g. service learning, community engagement, etc.); and (f) examining a specific leadership concept such as personality types or motivation. For this study, we examined these projects to better understand what elements of leadership learning students sought through this project. We also offer a preliminary look at using capstone projects to assess gaps in leadership programs as a form of program evaluation (Shaeiwitz, 2002). Capstone projects offer a unique way to assess and evaluate a program. They typically give students an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in a given area (leadership in this case) and capstone projects have been used as the basis for curriculum modifications at other academic institutions (Shaeiwitz, 2002). Thus, our research questions are as follows:

• What areas of leadership development do students seek out through capstone projects for a four-year leadership studies minor?
• How can leadership educators and program administrators assess potential gaps in curricula by using capstone projects as another source of program evaluation?

Pedagogical Framework

The iLEAD project is a student-directed project. Students complete a series of self-reflective activities within and outside of class to identify an aspect of their leadership that they would like to develop. The role of the instructor is to assist and provide guidance throughout this process. Ultimately, the student determines the direction of the project and in what areas of leadership development they wish to engage. The instructor then works with students individually to find an avenue through which to enact their project. These avenues could include organizations with which the student is already involved, such as a campus organization, a place of employment, or a sorority or fraternity. Alternatively, the project could involve a club the student wishes to join or even friends and family members. Offering students the choice and autonomy in selecting the topic, managing and assessing their learning activities, and determining the timing and location of those activities aligns with the concept of self-directed learning (Knowles, 1975). Self-directed learning gives students the initiative and responsibility for their own learning. This project embodies that model.

Self-directed learning connects to the concept of exercising leadership when an authority figure is not directing a follower. When authority figures are not present or are not directing followers, it is up to those followers to exercise leadership to achieve organizational and personal goals (Ferrazzi & Weyrich, 2020; Heifetz et al., 2009). The iLEAD project gives students an opportunity to practice this kind of leadership by following a self-directed learning model with the focus and intention of furthering the students’ leadership education and development goals as determined by the students themselves. Self-directed learning is an important skill for students today, and students need opportunities to direct their own learning and create their own assignments, learning environments, and forms of feedback and assessment to create lasting and meaningful learning (Rashid & Asghar, 2016). These kinds of activities are also important in creating intrinsic motivation for students, which results in an overall stronger performance and greater success during their collegiate experience. With greater control over their own learning, students are better able to critically assess information, reflect on their learning, and assess their own performance (Douglass & Morris, 2014).

Baxter Magolda (2008) defines self-authorship as an “internal capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity, and social relations” (p. 269). Self-authorship is a transition for a person from having values, beliefs, and identities imposed on them from the outside to redefining those things for their self. The iLEAD assignment is, in essence, asking students to make this transition and create a project which gives them the freedom to determine both what they need to complete their leadership education and how they will do so. Leadership educators can utilize self-authorship as a theoretical building block where students can examine their own beliefs about leadership, their identity as leaders, and how leadership works in practice with others. Indeed, this framework reflects the leadership program in this research.

Baxter Magolda (2008) outlined three primary elements of self-authorship, which mirror the journey upon which we hope our students will embark through this iLEAD project. First, it is important for students to trust the internal voice by having enough self-knowledge and self-awareness to determine when to do something. The iLEAD project brings a sense of urgency to students’ goals because it is within the parameters of an assignment for a one-semester course, though students determine what exactly they will do. In this way, they determine the significance of their interests and prioritize developmental goals that they see as important to their next steps. The second element is building an internal foundation, which is accomplished by solidifying one’s identity internally and acknowledging strengths and weaknesses. In the context of the iLEAD project this would be reflected in one’s leadership identity (Komives et al., 2006) and the student’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader. The self-reflective nature of the iLEAD assignment engages students in a process of honest self-discovery that moves beyond simple awareness to action-oriented behavior. Students understand their strengths and areas for growth, and they use this awareness to chart a path forward through this assignment. Finally, securing internal commitments occurs when the first two elements come together to promote wisdom about oneself. As students learn more about their positive and challenging experiences in the past and present, they develop the confidence necessary to effectively address issues that will arise in the future.

Initial and Informal Data Analysis

Over the course of four semesters, instructors collectively reviewed and graded 263 iLEAD projects. These projects spanned across 13 class sections of 15-20 students each. This sample represents all the sections and projects over the four semesters. Students were a mix of junior and senior undergraduate students. Specific demographics were not recorded. Examples of past projects include: developing empathic listening skills through scheduled coaching sessions; participating in a local Toastmasters club; developing self-care habits such as mindfulness and meditation; writing a guidebook for the next generation of club leaders; teaching strengths-based leadership to coworkers; and examining a work group’s personality differences and how to leverage those differences. One student used the project to practice his speech for a non-profit he was starting, as well as to help launch the non-profit. Another student served as a leader of a student organization and made it her goal to know every one of her approximately 80 members’ names and something about each of them. The projects have had varying levels of investment by the students, but most instructors were generally pleased with the projects and student investment in their projects at both the beginning and end of the semester. Anecdotal evidence from conversations with instructors suggested seven initial categories (Table 1).

Initial Categories

Note. This table outlines anecdotal initial categories that emerged from discussion with instructors of the senior seminar course in which the iLEAD project was assigned. 

Research Design

Students in a capstone leadership course participated in a semester-long project in which they identified an area to further develop their personal leadership skills and abilities. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine what areas of development these students identified and engaged in and how this can inform curriculum design that better prepares students for the next step in life. Grounded theory is a theoretical framework that is used as an inductive strategy to data analysis (Charmaz, 1996). Using a grounded theory approach to the iLEAD project, researchers gathered, organized, and then analyzed large amounts of student-generated qualitative data related to their final project for their leadership minor. Researchers took note of codes and categories which emerged and then mid-level themes from this inductive process and not from a pre-established hypothesis. Researchers continued to refine their data analysis process by engaging in co-construction of meaning together to “develop their ideas and intuitions about the data” (Charmaz, p. 26, 1996). Our approach to grounded theory involved organizing data through thematic analysis, which Braun and Clarke (2012) described as “a method for systematically identifying, organizing, and offering insight into patterns of meaning (themes) across a data set” (p. 57).  Through this type of analysis, researchers are able to make sense of the common ways participants experience and understand phenomena. With this framework, we sought to answer our primary research question: What areas of leadership development do students seek out through capstone projects for a four-year leadership studies minor? This design will also inform our secondary research question around how leadership educators and program administrators can assess potential gaps in curricula by using capstone projects as another source of program evaluation.

Data Collection.   Data for the study came from student projects in a senior level leadership course. The course was the capstone in a four-year leadership program that is primarily academic, but also includes co-curricular components. The project, called the iLEAD project, asked students to think about their own leadership education and development. They reflected on questions, such as what would be essential to their leadership development and learning as they complete a leadership program, or what would be necessary for their continued growth and development as they transition from college to career or graduate school. Students were asked to think about these questions and come up with what they wanted to do for their project and what they wanted to work on for their own leadership learning and development. Students were encouraged to be honest and vulnerable in deciding the direction of their projects and were steered away from “safe” or “fluffy” projects that entailed little engagement from the student. The parameters of the project were deliberately broad to encourage student creativity, and students were allowed to choose their own project and determine what work was necessary to develop their own leadership skills. Data were collected from 13 sections of the capstone course from 2016 to 2018, and 263 projects were collected and analyzed. The assignment asked students either to write an outline of their proposed project or to write a contract with their instructor outlining their project. These outlines and contracts were collected from the 13 sections.

Data Analysis.   Each of the researchers separately analyzed the projects of 263 participants to identify primary areas of development that students focused on in their capstone. This process involved examining students’ espoused purpose of the project, the outline of the actual work in which the student engaged throughout the semester, and student reflections following completion of the project. With this holistic analysis of the project design and implementation, we used descriptive coding to describe the purpose of each project. After this initial round of descriptive coding, we each used pattern coding, which is a method of searching for relationships between codes to identify emergent themes (Saldaña, 2021). As with the initial analysis, this second round of coding was done separately so that we each identified potential categories and emergent themes through our individual analyses of the data.

The separate process of initial data analysis was a form of researcher triangulation, which enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative research (Shenton, 2004; Merriam, 1998). After performing separate individual coding analysis, the researchers brought their separate analyses together to discuss emerging categories. Over the course of two meetings, the researchers compared our interpretations and determined patterns supported by data analysis across the three researchers. Ultimately, we found no major discrepancies in researcher interpretations of the data. While in some places we organized the data patterns differently, there was a general consensus regarding overarching themes. As a result, we were able to fine-tune these through our discussions by expanding some thematic groupings and consolidating others. This process allowed us to ensure that our findings accurately reflected the gaps in leadership learning and development as depicted in students’ capstone projects.

Students, instructors, and administrators alike have much to learn from capstone projects. By examining capstone projects for students enrolled in a four-year leadership studies minor at a large research university in the Midwest region of the United States, the researchers set out to qualitatively address the research question: What areas of leadership development do students seek out through capstone projects for a four-year leadership studies minor? The purpose of the iLEAD project was to mirror how leadership is exercised when there is no authority. Students are asked to self-assess and self-direct their own leadership development. The other research question asked: What can this tell us about the leadership program from an evaluation perspective?

We identified four primary areas of leadership learning with which students engaged through their iLEAD assignments: self-care, application and understanding of leadership, interpersonal skills, and intercultural development skills. The four categories that emerged from the descriptive and pattern coding differed from the initial anecdotal categories. However, those initial categories could easily fall under the four broad categories that emerged from the analysis. There were projects that did not fit into any of these categories, but there were not enough of those other projects to support a new category. Based on these categories, we can see that students finishing a four-year leadership program that involves both curricular and co-curricular activities self-select leadership activities around self-care, understanding and applying leadership, interpersonal skills, and intercultural skill development.

Self-care was the most popular topic with our students. The broad category of self-care had several sub-categories: mental, physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual health; healthy boundaries; self-confidence focused on building the concept of self (e.g. becoming more assertive, speaking out more, and sharing thoughts and opinions); and gratitude focused on being happier and developing a full sense of self. Projects included following meditation and mindfulness routines, exercise and diet routines and journaling, adjusting financial habits, and projects that focused on building self-confidence (e.g. running for an elected position that the student had only been thinking about). One student wrote, “I would like to be more committed to getting help and talking to people when I’m struggling.” Another student wrote, “My leadership development goal for this semester is to shift my focus away from the priority of others and put priority on myself. …I realize that I need to really focus on myself… …Find new ways to manage stress along with exercising each week.” Another example of a self-care project, “My goal is to take care of myself more… …goal to center around self-care.” While the category was broad, the focus of these projects centered on making time to connect with personal needs as a way of caring for oneself.

Application of leadership and understanding of leadership was also a popular, albeit broad, category. Many students were interested in developing their knowledge and expertise around particular leadership topics and content such as CliftonStrengths, personality types, motivation sources, and leadership theories and perspectives. This category also included projects where students actively exercised leadership by working in their community through volunteering, doing service projects, or coordinating events. Other examples and sub-categories included: College to career, professional development, connecting to community partners, leadership development, leadership efficacy, coaching and mentoring projects focused on leadership development, community related projects, community support, non-profit work, event planning, how values impact leadership, time management/organizational skills, and identity based projects. For example one student wrote, “My leadership goal for myself this semester is to be more willing to put time into being a leader, attitude wise. I would use adaptive leadership and servant leadership.” Another student completed and reflected on several personality assessments such as Strengths, Myers-Briggs, and the Big 5 writing, “I would like to better understand and love myself as a leader in order to prepare myself for my future career.” In another project within this category, a student explained, “By the end of the semester I will have read StrengthsQuest and Strengths Based Leadership, then implement what I have learned in my supervisor position at work, and finally reflect on what I have learned about others and myself by focusing on strengths.” Student projects within this category represented a wide spectrum of approaches to understanding and exercising leadership.

Interpersonal skills are an important part of exercising leadership and being an effective leader and many students self-identified that they needed to further develop their interpersonal skills. Project examples include joining clubs to work on those skills and attributes, going for an elected position in an organization, and mentoring younger members of an organization. For example, one student wrote, “I want to make a genuine effort to really connect with those around me; within this semester I hope to form a new, deep, and transparent relationship at work with…” Another student wrote that they wanted to, “Engage and build more personal friendships and relationships. I picked this goal because I didn’t realize how apparent it was that I’m not strong at forming one-to-one relationships.” Interpersonal skills seem to be the kind of skills one develops over the course of their life. No leadership program with a time boundary would ever develop these skills to a person’s capacity. This does reflect some self-awareness from the students who chose projects in this category and indirectly highlights a goal of the leadership program overall (developing a sense of self-knowledge and awareness).  In another project focused on interpersonal skills the student focused on “Developing deeper relationships… learn what vulnerability can be instead of fearing it. Go beyond myself and learn how to trust others.” Other examples and sub-categories included: Self-confidence projects focused on skill building such as public speaking, communication focused projects, and coaching projects focused interpersonal listening.

Intercultural skills as a category was the least popular of the four categories among students. The leadership program has an intercultural development course as part of the minor. These projects tended to focus on continuing any personal progress made in that course and sometimes restarting that process. Some students wanted to learn about other religions or racial identities and others wanted to engage in work that fostered more inclusion in their community and some students focused on developing their inclusive leadership skills. One student focused on learning about Bennett’s model of intercultural sensitivity and Boas’s anthropological theory of cultural relativism saying, “I would like to become a more inclusive, empathetic leader and seek to understand why others believe what they do, even if those beliefs are different from mine.” Another student said, “I want to improve my ability to engage in tough conversations with those around me, specifically involving the growing need for attention to social justice.” Other examples and sub-categories included:  Going outside one’s comfort zone related to diversity and inclusion, engaging with a campus or community group doing diversity and inclusion work, being more accepting of others, developing more self-awareness from an intercultural context, focus on self and developing skills related to inclusion, and decreasing judgment of difference.

Taken together this research highlights several important themes for leadership classes and programs – addressing the second research question. The project examples and student quotes show how the projects led to the categories. The first theme is that all leadership programs potentially have gaps and assuming gaps exist, students will see those gaps. There are many perspectives and areas in the field of leadership and it would be difficult for any single program to cover them all. The second is that many students struggle and self-care is an important topic that schools and universities and communities should address comprehensively. Giving time and space for students to work on their own mental health and self-care is time well spent. Third, a self-directed and self-authored project gives students an excellent opportunity to exercise leadership without authority. It also provides time and space for students to think critically about their own leadership development while developing important leadership skills like critical reflection and assessing their own performance.

Instructor Reflection

One of the researchers also taught the capstone course. This researcher’s reflections from teaching the class, working with students on their projects, and working on this research project are below.

My reflections in class and experiences with students as they worked on these projects include success stories and failures, both from students and myself. Over the years I experimented with the project by making the instructions more and more specific and then letting the instructions be ambiguous and broad. I wanted the assignment to reflect our program’s perspective on leadership – that leadership can come from anywhere and anyone, often you have to make your own decisions about what needs to be done, and you often have to figure out for yourself what you need to work on. I used coaching extensively to help students figure out what they could do for their projects. Once I started to see students picking similar projects in different classes, sections, and semesters I developed some categories of projects on my own. The instructors of this class had conversations about these categories and there was some agreement and disagreement about the categories chosen and what that meant. For myself, I noticed, in hindsight, that I may have manifested some of the categories by mentioning them to students, e.g. that self-care was a popular project for students. I did try to give a wide variety of examples when students asked for examples, but it is possible I may have inadvertently steered them to those categories I believed existed. Over time I have seen some amazing projects and students make great breakthroughs in their learning and development. I have also seen students treat this project like just another thing to do or task to complete with little learning or development as a result. The categories that emerged in our work feel like a better representation of the projects than the initial and anecdotal categories. The objectivity and expertise of the two other researchers brought a welcomed perspective on this research.

Discussion & Implications

This research started with a few broad questions. What can we learn from capstone projects in leadership programs? What areas of leadership development do students seek out through capstone projects for a four-year leadership studies minor? What can this tell us about the program from an evaluation perspective? This research explored these questions from a qualitative perspective and discovered four broad categories of student capstone projects. One of the major findings was that students select self-care projects more than other projects. The research around the mental health of college students is quite clear (i.e. students are suffering and need help). Good mental health is important for leaders and for exercising leadership. The capstone project offered students a way to make progress on the aspect of well-being most relevant to them. The popularity of this category speaks to a larger issue of well-being and mental health in college and beyond as well as raising questions beyond the scope of this work. Students today are overworked, over-involved, stressed, and anxious (Oswalt, et al., 2018; Pedrelli, et al., 2014). Mental health issues have been and continue to be on the rise among adolescents and young adults (Twenge et al., 2019). For the leadership program, student health is very important and if our students need help we want to help them. This project offered an opportunity for students to address an important side of their lives, without which, they probably cannot effectively exercise leadership. Leaders’ mental health and work-life balance have direct and indirect effects on their leadership behaviors and effectiveness. Leaders with better mental health and more balance in their lives exhibit more positive leadership behaviors and are more effective (Barling & Cloutier, 2017). Work-life balance is important and giving students an opportunity to develop skills to better achieve that balance seems important and relevant. Leaders also need good mental health in order to show empathy, to be perceptive of followers’ needs, and to keep showing up to do their jobs (Brearley, 2019).

The next two categories were application and understanding of leadership and interpersonal skills. Some leadership concepts and theories are taught in the minor and some students returned to those concepts to further their learning and application of those concepts. Other students sought to practice exercising leadership through community work or campus organizations. These projects reflect students’ desire to be more effective and knowledgeable leaders and to continue their journey of lifelong leadership development. These two categories and the projects within them are not surprising and reflect a general desire to continue the leadership education and development the minor offers in its courses and programs.

Interpersonal skills and intercultural skills are important topics for any leadership program. The program highlighted in this study spends significant time and effort fostering development on these two areas in all the courses, and one of the courses specifically covers intercultural development for a semester. However, it makes sense that some students will need and want more learning and development on these topics given that everyone’s learning and development in any course or mix of courses is different. Both skills are also complex and difficult to make progress on or master depending on the person and their personality and experiences.

The last category was intercultural skills. The minor and program intentionally promote and teach intercultural skills. As mentioned above, there is an entire course within the minor centered on this topic. Therefore, it makes sense that some students might not feel the need to revisit these concepts. It is also possible that students did not like the course that focuses on these concepts or they were not comfortable exploring those topics and for those reasons did not want to revisit them. That some students still select these projects indicates both some self-awareness about where they need to grow and develop as well as a gap in the program. Other interpretations may be that students in the leadership minor who are coming predominantly from a white racial frame and other dominant cultural perspectives may have compartmentalized intercultural skills as a mere checking off of a proverbial diversity box after having completing the previous course. Since intercultural skills have not historically been incorporated consistently into the leadership minor as a whole, students may not feel the urgency or justification to make it a part of their leadership practice. This could indicate that intercultural skills should be taught more intentionally throughout the minor/program. Recently this program has been attempting to include social justice and inclusion elements throughout the program. That work continues.

This research also highlights a potentially informative way to bring student voices to program evaluation. Student voices in program evaluation are both important and informative (Maldonado-Franzen, 2020). The use of student voices is an important component in program redesign and improvement (Paufler et al., 2020). Through the iLEAD assignment, students highlighted gaps in our curriculum and programming. Students were invited to deeply explore topics that contributed to their leadership learning, and therefore the focus of their project could simply reflect interests. However, instructors were intentional in designing this project as an opportunity to cultivate self-guided leadership learning and to explore the limitations and boundaries of our current programmatic offerings. As such, the assignment specifically asked students to reflect on what they were still needing as they approached the end of their time in the leadership program. While the project topics certainly reflect students’ interests, the strategic framing of the assignment also surfaces gaps in the program and therefore has the potential to serve as a powerful source of program evaluation. We could do more around student well-being and mental health. We could focus more on building interpersonal skills and providing more depth on certain leadership concepts. We could also do more to incorporate social justice and inclusion elements throughout the minor and program. This research revealed some specific gaps in our program, and these types of capstone projects could be used by other leadership programs to evaluate their specific curriculum and program gaps. This method of program evaluation takes student voices into consideration as well as giving those students time and space to fill the gaps in their own learning and development in a manner most relevant to them.

This research suggests that this particular leadership program does have some gaps in its curriculum and programming that could be addressed. Although this was not a formal program evaluation project, the iLEAD assignment suggests gaps around student well-being, various leadership concepts, interpersonal skills, and intercultural skills. Projects similar to the iLEAD assignment could be implemented by other institutions as a way to identify and address these gaps. This type of project also promotes the concept of self-authorship which seems to be important for students to develop as they transition from college to career or graduate school.

This kind of student driven critical program reflection is important for leadership programs by providing student feedback on the program and self-directed learning for students. Additionally, student well-being and mental health are important for leadership development and learning and exercising leadership. Leadership programs should be leaders on this issue and work to foster student well-being and mental health on their campuses and in their communities.

If leadership educators wish to develop or revise existing capstone projects that are self-authored, they should consider the outcomes they wish to achieve with the projects. Our capstone project began as a way for students to take ownership of their leadership development and promote lifelong leadership learning. Over time the projects became informative about what students need and program gaps. Projects could be outlined in a way that focuses on curriculum and program gaps (e.g. what do you still need after completing our program?). They could also focus on specific learning outcomes such as interpersonal skill development. This research suggests that leadership educators have much to learn from students’ self-guided capstone projects.

The goals of this project were to examine what students need at the end of a four-year leadership program, to examine if the projects could be grouped and if those groupings would provide information for program evaluation. The results of this research suggest that there are gaps in this particular leadership program and that the projects did yield identifiable groupings. Those groupings provided useful information for the instructors of the course and for the program overall. Specifically, the results suggest that students’ well-being (physical, mental, emotional, social, financial health) is important and that many students are lacking in some aspect of their well-being. This is a larger problem than one academic minor program at one institution can fully address. However, this project did seem to help students make progress on their individual well-being and may have influenced other students to consider and address their well-being and overall life balance.

Given that the field of leadership and topics in the field of leadership are varied and deep, it is difficult to cover all the aspects of leadership in four courses. Some students are still looking for more learning on the content that has been delivered in the courses, suggesting that the program could decrease the number of topics covered and increase the depth on those topics. The project could also serve as an open opportunity for students to learn more about topics they are personally interested in, suggesting the iLEAD project is useful for students in this regard.

There are limitations to this research and the results should be taken with some caution. The results may not generalize to other leadership programs or other institutions. Given the qualitative nature of this research, the researcher’s presence and positionality during the data collection and involvement throughout the project could have affected the topics the students chose, thus affecting the results of this research. There was a large number of projects evaluated, however, and those projects happened across several years, several sections of the course and several different instructors. Two graduate students that specialize in qualitative research ran the data analysis portion of this research to provide as much rigor as possible. It should also be noted that these results are a reflection of one specific leadership program and do not represent leadership studies in general.

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Engineering students present at third annual Expo

More than 230 student projects were featured at the event.

Senior students at the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science came together this month to present their final capstone projects at the third-annual CEAS Expo. College faculty, staff, alumni and industry professionals attended the event to witness the innovation created at CEAS. 

The annual CEAS Expo is organized by the college's student government, CEAS Tribunal. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing.

"The Expo is my favorite event of the year," Dean John Weidner said. "When I see what the students have accomplished, I'm in awe." 

Hosted at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati, the event featured projects from all engineering disciplines that were segmented into four different categories: product/device, software, poster board, and student organization-sponsored projects. More than 100 industry professionals, faculty and alumni volunteered to judge this year's Expo.

Groups were judged and scored on their professionalism and presentation skills, as well as the quality of their concept, execution and demonstration based on their category. Participants said the opportunity to present their projects to judges and receive feedback is invaluable experience for entering the workforce upon graduation.

The Expo is vital to the success of CEAS.

Rob Cohen, CEO of DRT Holdings

"The Expo is vital to the success of CEAS," said Rob Cohen, CEO of DRT Holdings, LLC, this year's platinum level Expo sponsor. "It's a showcase for local industry to experience firsthand the creative energy and work that students pour into their projects and for DRT as a company, it was an excellent opportunity for us to interact with the students." 

At UC, engineering students embark on a unique, challenging journey through their five years at CEAS. Alternating between semesters of classroom instruction and semesters of engineering field or research work through the cooperative education, or co-op, program. Students complete a capstone project as the finishing piece of their undergraduate degree. 

Senior engineering students presented their final capstone projects to judges at the third annual CEAS Expo. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing

At the largest CEAS Expo to date, projects included an automated ice cream machine, an automated greenhouse, productivity software, medical devices, aircraft and motor vehicles, and cutting-edge research. Additionally, student groups partnered with other UC units such as UC Clermont and the College Conservatory of Music to maximize the potential of these projects. 

"The senior projects weren't merely research projects but will have a definite impact on further advancing technology," said Ray Brooks, Chair of the CEAS College Advisory Council. "I'm impressed with how the Expo has grown over the past couple of years."

Projects presented at the CEAS Expo ranged from all disciplines. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing

Reintroduced in this larger format in 2022, the Expo is organized and managed by the college's student government, CEAS Tribunal. This year, Tribunal elected two Expo Chairs to manage the bulk of the event planning, Jada Teregeyo and Maggie Sprung. They shared that planning for Expo was a three-semester commitment for them.

Without the dedication of the students in Tribunal, the volunteer judges, and the event sponsors, Expo would not be possible. CEAS would like to extend its gratitude to DRT Holdings, LLC, Salas O'Brien, KZF Design, Belcan, and the CEAS Alumni Board for sponsoring this year's Expo. 

12 category winners were selected by the volunteer judges. The CEAS academic departments also selected departmental winners. The winners for each of the four categories are listed below. 

The Robotic Focus Subject for Theater Applications project received third place in the Software category. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing

The University of Cincinnati Aerocats team received first place in the student organization sponsored category at the CEAS Expo. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing

Student groups received awards in each category of the CEAS Expo. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing

Featured image at top: The 2024 CEAS Expo was the largest yet. Photo/Corrie Mayer/CEAS Marketing. 

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April 24, 2024

This spring, senior students at the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science came together to present their final capstone projects at the third annual CEAS Expo. College faculty, staff, alumni and industry professionals attended the event to witness the innovation that is created at CEAS.

Engineering students showcase capstone projects at CEAS Expo

May 6, 2022

Graduating engineering undergraduates from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science gathered for the inaugural CEAS Expo in April to showcase their senior capstone projects to more than 500 attendees, including faculty, staff, alumni and industry representatives. The event, organized by the college and CEAS Tribunal student government, was held in downtown Cincinnati at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Engineering students present senior capstone projects digitally

April 24, 2020

Cybersecurity capstone project bridges classroom and business worlds

April 25, 2024

Penetration tests, or simulated cyber-attacks, can be used to expose a business’ security vulnerabilities. For their capstone project, senior computer science students Michael Benington and Alexander Jones conducted a penetration test for a local security company, uncovering vulnerabilities in the company’s security systems.

Benington and Jones’ project was inspired by Xavier’s cybersecurity concentration which is an interdisciplinary effort of Xavier’s Computer Science and Business Analytics and Information Systems departments. (Xavier is a designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense from the National Security Agency.)  Through their capstone, Benington and Jones applied theoretical knowledge from the classroom to gain practical experience. “We had to learn how to think like a potential attacker to better defend against them and gained insights into the legal and ethical considerations involved in penetration testing,” Benington said.

According to Benington, the capstone project was rewarding in many ways. “My favorite part of this project was the ability to connect and help a local business, helping them understand what vulnerabilities they have and how to prevent these types of attacks in the future,” Benington said. “Getting to provide support to a local business while gaining important experience was very exciting to me.”

Benington advises students working toward a senior capstone project to start planning early. “Choose a project that genuinely interests you and excites you, as this will keep you motivated throughout the process,” he said. “Use this as an opportunity to bridge the gap between your academic knowledge and the real world.”

Written by: Julia Hootman CAS Student Employee Computer Science major

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Class of 2024 Displays Research Excellence at Scholarly Concentration Capstone Symposium

• The best research projects from the Miller School Class of 2024 were on display at the inaugural Scholarly Concentration Capstone Poster Symposium.
• Melissa Blake, M.D. ’24, and Jingjing Meng, M.D., ‘24 won first-place honors for the Best Published Pathway Paper.
• Michelle Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., ’24 earned the Best Poster award.

The Class of 2024 put their NextGenMD scholarly and research skills on display at the inaugural Scholarly Concentration Capstone Poster Symposium that concluded their University of Miami Miller School of Medicine academic year.

Nearly 150 digital posters were submitted, with 40 selected by the dual-degree program directors and the pathway directors for full display. Led by Peter Buchwald, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology at the Miller School, the 13 pathways of emphasis within the Scholarly Concentration program offer students a structured framework to explore their research interests. 

“We had a nice turnout for this inaugural event, with essentially all students from the graduating class present,” said Dr. Buchwald, who also directs the scholarly concentration course. “This was a great opportunity for them to highlight their scholarly achievements, as the majority of the 40 selected posters are from works already published in peer-reviewed journals or presented at national or international conferences.”

Research Experience Develops Competitive Residents

Research published in the Journal of the American Association of Medical Colleges shows residency program directors, especially those from the most competitive specialties, value student research during the admission process. The Miller School’s 100% final placement rate on Match Day this year is a testament to the medical school’s commitment to producing competitive applicants.

“In preparing for a career in medicine, it is essential to be able to understand and evaluate evidence generated from scholarly works,” Dr. Buchwald said. “Our students are developing the skills to understand, evaluate, communicate and conduct research in relevant and emerging areas.”

Overall, the Scholarly Concentration – Final Capstone course requires 150 hours of mentored work conducted during phase 3. A published paper or a 10- to 15-page written report summary is followed by an e-poster research display.

Scholarly Standouts

The 40 selected posters covered topics ranging from biomedical engineering and neuroscience through stroke treatments to biopsy protocols and even Narcan use to combat opioids. 

Melissa Blake, M.D. ’24, and Jingjing Meng, M.D., ‘24, won dual first-place honors for the Best Published Pathway Paper. Their respective projects examined pediatric obesity prevention and opioid interactions with chemotherapeutics in the gut.

Michelle Zhang, M.D., Ph.D. ’24, earned the Best Poster award for “Early Mechanisms of Carboplatin Chemoresistance in Retinoblastoma.” Zhang’s project is the first to provide a comprehensive characterization of early events in retinoblastoma chemoresistance progression and set a foundation for identifying novel treatment.

“This accomplishment is a testament to my wonderful community at the Miller School that established a nurturing training environment to support my scientific curiosity,” Zhang said. “My research project is one of many, and it’s exciting to have so many incredibly bright clinicians and scientists in the Class of 2024 highlighted at the capstone symposium. I cannot wait to see how their careers will flourish.”

Fostering Research Excellence

In addition to the student recognition, two awards were given for mentorship. Ruby Natale, Ph.D., Psy.D., professor of clinical pediatrics and one of the mentor awardees, said the award recognizes her commitment to mentoring.

“This award signifies the importance of dedicating time to the mentor-mentee relationship,” Dr. Natale said. “The capstone program is a great way for students to get a taste of research and balance out their clinical training.”

Kristin Rojas, M.D., assistant professor of surgical oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, also received a mentor award. She emphasizes fostering a research environment that embraces diversity and uplifts all voices.

“I strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where mentees feel valued, understood and encouraged to embrace their unique identities and perspectives,” Dr. Rojas said. “Drawing from my own experiences navigating the challenges of being a minority in surgical oncology, I offer guidance on overcoming barriers, advocating for oneself and finding strength in diversity.”

Award Winners

Mentorship Award

• Ruby Natale, Ph.D., Psy.D.

• Kristin Rojas, M.D.

Best Published Pathway Paper

• Melissa Blake, M.D., “Infant Nutrition and Other Early Life Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity According to Disability Status”

• Jingjing Meng, M.D., “Opioid-induced Microbial Dysbiosis Disrupts Irinotecan (CPT-11) Metabolism and Increases Gastrointestinal Toxicity in a Murine Model”

Best Poster Awards

• First place: Michelle Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.

• Second place: Roshni Lalwani, M.D.

• Third place: Alyssa Cruz, M.D.

Tags: medical education , NextGenMD , Senior Capstone Course

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This article was printed from The Miller School of Medicine Medical News at the following URL: https://news.med.miami.edu/scholarly-concentration-capstone-symposium/

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Humanities, arts, and social sciences, spring 2024 music capstone showcase.

On Wednesday, April 24 from 4:00 - 6:30 PM, Graduating music majors will share their senior capstone projects, which encompass a wide range of disciplines, in the HASS Media Studio, DCC 174. Live and recorded performances from bands and the RPI orchestra will be featured, alongside presentations detailing students’ work. Refreshments will be available following the showcase.

UMaine students show off year long projects in capstone showcase

ORONO, Maine (WABI) - Friday night was the the School of Computing and Information Science Capstone Showcase at UMaine.

Each year on the last day of classes students get to show off the projects they have been working on all year.

Students put together demonstrations, posters and talks for the event.

There was a rage of projects ranging from virtual reality to help adults with autism socials skills to a Drumbo Stomp Pad.

Students say the hard work is all worth it in the end.

“It’s been so much work. It’s been meetings outside of class, talking with a lot of people, late nights spending coding. So all of that has kind of culminated into this huge project,” said Nick Sarno, a capstone student.

“It feels amazing to actually finally be done with it. We’re very proud of it. It feels really nice to have something that we’ve spent a year working on finally be done and have something that we can show off to people,” said Sarno.

The university requires all students to complete a capstone before graduation.

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Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering

College of engineering, team oars voted best aerospace engineering project at spring 2024 capstone expo.

Capstone gave 13 Aerospace Engineering teams a platform to showcase their dynamic projects

From left to right:  Assistant Professor Alvaro Romero-Calvo, Oscar Haase, Samuel Stoknes, Vishal Rachapudi, Aiden Wilson, Elliot Kantor , and AE Chair Mitchell Walker.

Team Orbital Anomaly Recovery System (OARS), a five-person team sponsored by  Intelsat, won the most outstanding aerospace engineering project at Georgia Tech’s Spring 2024 Capstone Design Expo . There were 204 teams across three colleges, from 12 schools presenting their projects before 200 judges in the McCamish Pavillion. OARS team members include Oscar Haase, Elliot Kantor, Vishal Rachapudi, Samuel Stoknes,  and Aidan Wilson .

The AE School showcased 13 teams , each tasked with tackling a sophisticated aerospace engineering challenge. Undergraduate teams opted for either space exploration, vertical lift, or fixed-wing aerospace engineering courses to guide and drive their semester-long senior projects.

OARS Team from left to right: Vishal Rachapudi, Samuel Stoknes, Oscar Haase, Elliott Kantor and Aidan Wilson

"OARS' project leverages a good fundamental understanding of space systems engineering to solve a very practical industry problem. Their work has the potential of saving millions in operational costs to their sponsor, Intelsat, and paves the way for new collaborations between our school and industry partners. Working with them and Intelsat this semester has been a real pleasure," said 

Assistant Professor Álvaro Romero-Calvo

OARS 2024 Capstone Design Expo Poster

The team worked hard and they asked good, well-thought questions. It was a pleasure and refreshing to work with them.

Joe Chan, Flight Dynamics Director at IntelSat (team sponsor)

Intelsat created the OARS Team project. The company operates numerous geostationary satellites that stay above the same point over Earth and provide communications 24 hours a day. The OARS project focused on the issue of spinning satellites and created an algorithm to detect a spinning satellite and direct it back to the correct direction. 

“Satellites may spin because of micrometeorites or even a misfired thruster. We created a simulation to provide a better workflow and a better tool for Intelesat to correct the satellite and have it point back towards Earth so that people can regain their internet access as quickly as possible,” Rachapudi said.

They used a game engine called Godot to create the visual simulation. For the math and controls, they used MATLAB on the back end.

“The simulation is for Intelsat to verify and test what the control algorithm suggests as the correct thruster firings to produce the optimal reset pattern,” Rachapudi explained. “It’s basically a tool to visualize it and see what's going on because before, Intelsat’s workflow had them just looking at graphs and telemetry data in an Excel spreadsheet. But we created a visual tool for them actually to see what's going on.”

The biggest challenge the team faced was understanding where the satellite was actually pointing while it was spinning because the sensor data only works when the satellite is pointing at Earth. 

“Basically, the center is like a camera pointing at Earth, and there's a frame. If the Earth is out of that frame, then we have no idea where it's pointing, and we can’t see Earth. So, we had to figure out how to propagate that into the future and know where it would be pointing.”

The team also had to deal with the control algorithm. Actual vehicles don’t act perfectly, so when they apply a thruster, it doesn’t act instantaneously. So implementation had to account for physical lag and physical dynamic application of the thrust. They spent long hours working to perfect it. Rachapudi credits Stoknes with playing a big part in overcoming this challenge.

“What we did couldn’t have been done without the great people we had. The win is a testament to the team,” Rachapudi concluded.

Orbital 2 with Earth

Orbital Anomaly Software

Angle Rates and Tables

Ray cast orientation and path trace

Two teams tied for the best overall project, Interdisciplinary Team  Seekr Assistive Airport Navigation and Biomedical Team  Left Atrial Files . This is the second year in a row that two teams have taken the top spot. In a video , Atlanta Mayor and Georgia Tech Engineering graduate Andre Dickens congratulated the 2024 Capstone Expo participants.

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How Much Can Bomb Threats Cost a Business? MBA Students Find Out in NCITE-Funded Project

This spring, a group of UNO MBA capstone students built a tool for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that helps retail stores estimate the cost of bomb threats. "The experience is easily one of the best I can remember in over a decade working in my current position," said Curtis Tilley of CISA.

• published: 2024/04/26
• contact: NCITE Communications
• email:   [email protected]

By: Eva Burklund and Kalyn Wettengel NCITE Students

What is the cost of bomb threats?

In addition to the well-being and peace of mind of the people involved, bomb threats cost money. Businesses targeted with threats must close down, evacuate, and coordinate with authorities until the situation is cleared – all of which add up to lost sales.

Authorities say this is the point. The vast majority of bomb threats involve no explosive at all – the threat itself is a tactic to disrupt and harass, which can have a real financial impact on a retail business. Calculating the exact amount, however, is difficult.

This spring, a team of master’s students with the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) College of Business Administration worked to create a tool that estimates how much a bomb threat can cost a business.

The capstone class is part of an NCITE project led by UNO business faculty Erin Bass, Ph.D., and Erin Pleggenkuhle-Miles, Ph.D. The project aims to engage MBA capstone students in projects that address real-world national security problems.

For this class, a team of MBA students was paired with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) , a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"This project originally began with another group of capstone students in a prior session, so we had a good starting framework,” said Jacy McAllister, one of the students who worked on the project. Our goal was to build in the retail business calculations for the model while also helping to further enhance the prior team’s progress. We worked to enhance the user-friendliness of the tool – cleaner formatting, a user guide, and an appendix as a reference."

The tool focused on showing the financial costs of evacuating a given retail business in the case of a bomb threat. The hope, said Greg Portsche, another MBA student in the group, is that this tool could support government end users like CISA, as well as businesses, in making informed decisions about training and safety plans.

“We're talking (a business spending) $900 from a standpoint of training for a day for two people – giving up that $900 of payroll to hopefully prevent a $47,000 issue down the road,” Portsche said.

Because many factors affect how expensive bomb threats can be, the team’s tool allows CISA to add inputs such as average sales per day, building square footage, and more to generate a cost estimate for evacuating a store in the case of a bomb threat.

“I wish I could have worked on more projects with the ‘real-life impact’ that this capstone project had,” McAllister said.

The students were also recognized for their communication with CISA, which helped them to ultimately produce a useful product.

“I have personally enjoyed working with the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) MBA program, and the experience is easily one of the best I can remember in over a decade working in my current position,” Curtis Tilley, branch chief for CISA’s Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP), said in an email. “The deliverables are exceptional and will provide value for OBP as we seek to enhance national security by building public and private capabilities to deter, prevent, and respond to bombing incidents.”

Bass said the project is all the more remarkable for the time constraint the students worked under. The team only had eight weeks to communicate with CISA, identify the agency’s priorities, and develop the tool.

“It’s incredible because we get to witness over the course of eight weeks such intense learning and accomplishment … At the beginning of the eight weeks, some of the students on this team didn’t even know what CISA was,” Bass said. “The fact that these students can work so intensely on something that they started just eight weeks ago – and still deliver something that can actually be used by industry or government – it’s such a satisfying moment as a teacher to be able to witness that."

In keeping with the goal of their NCITE project, Bass said she and Pleggenkuhle-Miles are looking for more opportunities to support business students who are interested in pursuing careers or interests in homeland security.

“We need to build or help build that pipeline for these students,” Bass said. “So, when a student finishes my class, (and) they’re like, ‘Wow, this is so cool,’ how do we get them into those careers? That’s going to be the next step that we’re going to take with this project.”

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