RKT Archives

Alexis L Allen
Winter 2005

Lexi is a Public Relations major from Snohomish, Washington, which is forty-five minutes north of Seattle. While interning at a sports Public Relations (PR) firm in Manhattan last summer, Lexi solidified her love of Broadway musicals as she attended more than twenty different shows over the course of two months. She combined her love of theatre with her professional and academic expertise as she hypothesized about the diverse communications strategies that attract audiences in droves to musicals. For her honors thesis, Lexi is interviewing industry experts and CEOs of agencies? public relations and advertising campaigns of the season?s top new musicals, Wicked and Avenue Q. Her most valuable undergraduate experiences have been her New York internship and her involvement in the Honors Student Advisory Council, of which she currently serves as president. Lexi feels her honors courses have enriched her professional training as a communications practitioner, and her public relations education has allowed her to bring new perspective to HSAC?s continued outreach efforts. Lexi plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate next fall. Her research experience has shown her that the more she integrates her joys in life with her studies and profession, the more passionate she is about her work. Thus, she hopes to one day provide legal counsel for a performing arts organization, publishing house, or another entity in the fine arts of communications industries.

Jessica Griffin Anderson
Fall 2003

Jessica is an English major from Shelley, Idaho. She is researching adult fiction written by Roald Dahl and identifying instances where mouth imagery is pivotal. Roald Dahl has always been one of her favorites, and she was excited to find out that he has written numerous works for adults. She has entitled her honors thesis, A Taste of Roald Dahl: Characterization by Mouth. Jessica feels that her research has helped her to develop better analytical and editing skills. She is now more confident in her ability to conduct research and write scholarly papers. Jessica is married to Matthew Butler Anderson, a BYU law graduate, and they have been married for a little over one year. She plans to pursue a career in law, become a mother, and have a hobby of freelance writing.

Kristin Ann Baughman
Fall 2003

Kristin is from Kaysville, Utah, and she is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Economics. For her honors thesis, she is doing research on ways in which presidents handle highly emotive issues. The title of her honors thesis is George W. Bush and the Social Agenda: The Environment and Stem Cell Research. She has worked with her thesis advisor, Dr. Byron Daynes, for three years and they have co-authored two articles on this topic. Kristin feels that working with Dr. Daynes has provided her with a unique undergraduate experience and that the two highlights of her experience at BYU have been meeting and marrying her sweetheart, Jay Baughman, and taking Latin dance classes. After she graduates this year, she and Jay plan on attending law school together.

Travis Beckett
Winter 2009

Travis is from Maple Valley, Washington. He has a fondness for researching and working with plants; his passion for plants is a relatively new found fascination, as it was discovered only two years ago. Consequently, his honors thesis focuses on the sustainability of potato production and agricultural practices. Travis has noticed that potato growers throughout the world are generally pressured to plant potatoes more frequently than needed which leads to a decrease in environmental sustainability of the field and less quality in addition to a smaller yield of those crops. Travis believes the results of his study "will help potato growers to consider profit and sustainability when making decisions regarding rotation length." Although Travis's research does not directly apply to his future pursuits, he has found that he has learned valuable skills in experimental methods that will greatly enhance his upcoming opportunities. After receiving an undergraduate degree he will study bioacoustics in graduate school. His final goal is to procure a PhD and research. In addition to his love of plants, Travis enjoys nature photography, music theory, acoustics, and the occasional sharing of a good joke.

Victoria Lael Blanchard
Spring/Summer 2004

A junior majoring in Marriage, Family, and Human Development with a minor in Editing, Victoria (Vickie) Blanchard has chosen to do her honors thesis on the topic of family love. She is excited about this topic because of the project?s potential to help strengthen families. After discussing thesis options with her faculty advisor, Dr. Randal Day, she decided to focus on defining family love in terms of altruism, rather than self-interest study. Vickie is currently involved as Co-President of the Poetaster Project (an on-campus poetry club), as an editor and Writing Fellow. She also enjoys swimming every week with a blond-haired, blue-eyed seven year old named Shawn in the Adaptive Aquatics program. Last summer, Vickie married her husband, Ryan Blanchard, who is studying Mechanical Engineering. Together they enjoy grocery shopping at Macey?s and dreaming about the house they will someday build. After graduating next April, she plans to pursue a Master?s degree at BYU in either Marriage and Family Therapy or Social Work.

Brandon B Buhler
Spring/Summer 2003

Brandon B. Buhler, from Hanford, California, is earning his bachelors and masters degrees in accounting with an emphasis in auditing. With recent events involving fraud in large accounting firms, Brandon has chosen to research about fraud in accounting. He is researching non-verbal cues that auditors can observe to detect dishonesty in their clients. Brandon plans on working as an auditor for one of the ?big four? accounting firms, so his honors thesis will provide him with very valuable experience and knowledge for his future career. Brandon has been inspired by his teachers. He says, their ?passion for the subject they taught, enhanced my understanding? and has ?flavored my experience at BYU.? He recounts one incidence in his Humanities 101 class that has made a significant change in him. The professor taught them about the tenor vocalist, Pavarotti?s performance of ?Nesum Dorma.? Brandon said, ?I felt his need to perform a flawless performance, and I was overcome with emotion when he did. I took that class many semesters ago, but I still feel the same emotion I felt that day whenever I listen to Pavarotti sing ?Nesum Dorma?. Isn?t that what education is all about?? He commented, ?My life was touched and I haven?t been the same since.?

Eric Bybee
Fall 2006

A double major in Humanities and Latin American Studies, Eric is from Selma, California. His future plans are to enter a joint JD/PhD program in law and international development. This focus and a suggestion from his thesis advisor led to Eric?s research on customary law and lynching in Mayan communities. He was present when a small town re-initiated traditional punishment. The process and reaction were a very interesting addition to his research. His best classroom experience as an undergraduate was a class on comedy and satire. Eric puts his two summers of research and development work in Latin America at the top of his list of undergraduate experiences. He enjoyed his work there so much that he is planning to spend next summer in Peru, starting a non-profit organization that will offer trekking trips in the Andes to raise funds for local orphanages.

Kristen Bylund
Winter 2008

Kristen is a Nursing major from Omaha, Nebraska. After returning home from serving in the Germany Berlin Mission, she spent the spring term in Argentina conducting her honors thesis research. The title of her honors thesis is ?Iron Deficiency Anemia among Argentine Children: Supplementation from Soup Kitchens and the Home.? Before Kristen did her honors thesis, she was not interested in going to graduate school, but after she saw the need for research in order to implement health programs in developing countries, she is now considering a masters in Public Health. Kristen loves children and spent a summer volunteering in an orphanage in Ecuador. She also plays the harp and has played in the BYU Harp Ensemble every semester while she has attended BYU. Kristen cherishes the experiences she has had to share her testimony while working with patients.

Jennifer Lynn Bylund
Winter 2005

Jenny is from Omaha, Nebraska, and she served in the California Arcadia Mission. As a Psychology major, she was influenced by a Stress Psychobiology class and became interested in the impact the state of the mind has on the body?good or bad. Although she is also intrigued by college students? views of the connection between their physical and mental health, she has chosen to conduct her honors thesis research with Dr. Layne on exercise as a mental health therapy for depression. Jenny plays on BYU?s racquetball team and enjoys 2-hour daily practices beginning at 6:00 a.m. During Spring Term 2004, she completed an internship in England with the History Department. Dr. Cindy Doxey mentored the students as they traveled to London and throughout the U.K. working on a project connected to the Immigrant Ancestors Project of BYU?s Center for Family History and Genealogy. Jenny enjoys attending BYU with her two younger sisters, Kristen and Emily, and she is hopeful that In ?n Out will soon come to Provo. Jenny plans to eventually attend graduate school in a health psychology or community health program. However, she explained, ?I plan to promote physical health at any level I have the opportunity to, beginning with my own family.?

Jenny Champoux
Spring/Summer 2003

Jenny Champoux, from McLean, Virginia, is an International Politics major with minors in business management and art history. Her honors thesis is entitled ?Rogier Van der Weyden?s Virgin and Child Standing in a Niche and St. Catherine in a Landscape: A wedding gift symbolic of the bride?s ideal relationship with Christ and the Church.? She is arguing that these two pieces of art done by Rogier Van der Weyden were originally joined and commissioned as a bridal gift for a wealthy, noble young bride. Jenny began researching this topic while she was studying Northern Renaissance art in Dr. Martha Peacock?s ArtHC 325 class. Her research on this thesis has become her most fulfilling academic experience of her undergraduate education. She finds it exciting to find a ?connection between different ideas, works of art, and cultures.? She also enjoys working with faculty from various disciplines on her research. Jenny?s thesis has instilled a passion for art history. She claims her thesis is what helped her decide to pursue art history in grad school.

Angel Saavedra Cisneros
Spring/Summer 2005

Angel was born in Xalapa, Veracruz, M?xico. But, his hometowns include: Madison, Wisconsin; Veracruz, Veracruz, M?xico; and above all Guadalajara, Jalisco, M?xico. Angel is majoring in Psychology with minors in Political Science and TESOL. Thanks to Dr. Mark Allen, one of Angel?s former professors, Angel was lured into playing Rugby. He had always loved the sport, but has now been an official member of the BYU Men?s Rugby Team for a year. However, nothing compares with his love and passion for the true football (f?tbol) sport, a.k.a. soccer. Angel has also played soccer on an intramural team for three years and on various city leagues. Although he has not been terribly successful, he states, ?I love playing, competing and participating in the continuous expansion of this great sport.? But, according to Angel, his best undergraduate experience has been meeting incredibly intelligent, talented, and understanding faculty from different disciplines. He went on to say that his two favorite honors classes were the Daedalus Project with Paul Eastman and Ray Matheny, and Wilderness Writing with John S. Bennion and Burton Olsen. He particularly enjoyed these two courses because they allowed him to learn in non-traditional settings. Angel?s honors thesis is entitled, ?The effect of media on anxiety, depression and self-esteem on persons with different Body Mass Indices.? He first became interested in this topic as he read several articles about eating disorders, body image, and the impact of the media. He chose to focus his research on the negative impact media advertisements have on people while examining different Body Mass Index (BMI) groups to determine which groups are more susceptible to the body ideals portrayed in the media for both men and women. Angel has enjoyed learning more about research and working closely with Dr. Matthew Spackman, his faculty advisor. Angel is married to Patty, and they have a 3 ? year old boy, who keeps them on their toes. Angel is currently applying to graduate schools.

Steven Collis
Fall 2002

Steven Collis, from Socorro, New Mexico, chose to write a novel entitled Finding America for his honors thesis / capstone project. The novel is about the first Polish immigrants to ever come and permanently settle in the United States, which included his great, great grandparents. Steven describes his most memorable undergraduate experience as working with professional authors and writers who have helped him write his own novel, especially working with Dr. Dean Hughes. An aspiring novelist, Steven?s honors thesis experience has brought him closer to his dreams because of the experience he gained, the contacts he made, and the opportunities he received. Thus far, his novel has won two contests?the Ann Doty Fiction Contest at BYU and the best novel award from the League of Utah Writers. Steven says he owes almost everything he?s done to his wife. He says: ?She has never doubted me, even when I?ve doubted myself.?

Dave Cook
Spring/Summer 2008

Dave grew up on a farm near Idaho Falls, Idaho. He is double-majoring in Italian and Nutritional Science and earning minors in Asian Studies and Chemistry. During his undergraduate years at BYU, Dave has become a world traveler. He worked on a citrus farm for a summer after his mission to Milan, Italy; taught English in rural Shanxi province in China; interned at a hospital in Beijing, China; and conducted research for his honors thesis in Guatemala. While in Guatemala, Dave worked in the clinic of Primeros Pasos diagnosing children with parasitic infections and performing statistical analyses on the Palajunoj Valley's five most prevalent parasites, looking for relationships between infection rates and age, gender, malnutrition status, and the season. Dave?s honors thesis has been accepted for presentation at the 13th International Conference for Infectious Diseases to be held this June in Kuala Lumpur, Malasia. It is also currently under consideration for publication in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.

Stephen Cranney
Fall 2009

Stephen is a Provo native. His honors thesis is on the unsupported foundationalist tendencies of the political philosopher Richard Rorty. Both Stephen's natural interest in political philosophy and his need to take a break from statistics led him to his topic. Some of Stephen's best undergraduate experiences include his classes on political philosophy, introductory economics, world religion, and civil war taught by professors Hancock, Kearl, Keller and Blimes, respectively. However, the meeting and marrying of his wife was Stephen's best undergraduate experience. After graduation Stephen hopes to pursue a PhD in political science. He has not decided on a specialty, but is keeping his options open to include possibilities such as governmental stability, democratization, totalitarianism and/or postmodern political philosophy.

Allison Briggs Crockett
Winter 2005

Allison is a senior from Bountiful, Utah. She is majoring in Comparative Literature with minors in Classical Studies?Latin and Spanish. She claims that her greatest joy comes from challenging herself to be better in all areas of her life and from serving her husband, Benjamin David Crockett. In the spring of 2004, she went on a study abroad in Madrid, Spain. She claims it was an experience of a lifetime: ?There is something about living somewhere foreign, taking in a new culture, and trying to learn a new language that evades the pithy descriptions of culture books. I believe that to have a first-class education, one must seek for new challenges and never settle for something less. Get out there and experience the world?don?t just read about it (Carpe diem).? Allison is interested in romance languages and Romanticism, but she is particularly passionate about analyzing and explicating well-written poetry. With the help of her advisor, Dr. Larry Peer, she has chosen to do an analysis of Romantic emotional extravagance in the bodies of poetry of Emily Bront? and Ram?n de Campoamor. The analysis will first provide a concise definition of emotional extravagance as it falls in the realm of Romanticism, and then reveal how the works of the two poets fit into the tradition (across two distinct language traditions). The process of conducting her thesis research has piqued Allison?s interest in graduate studies in Comparative Literature and laid the groundwork for a topic that would make her graduate research a little easier.

Matthew Daley
Fall 2007

Matthew, an Accounting major from Manteca, California, is conducting his honors thesis research on identity fraud. He is examining the most common current methods employed by fraudsters in obtaining and abusing victim information. Matthew is also including a thorough review of fraud prevention measures and ways that victims can detect and correct problems. He chose this topic when a friend of his, who was working for Dr. Marshall Romney on a fraud-related research project, informed him that Dr. Marshall was looking for another assistant. As Matthew was looking forward to a forensic accounting (fraud investigation and prevention) internship, Dr. Romney?s project was a perfect fit. Matthew is also studying Chinese language and culture and hopes to use the knowledge he is acquiring from his honors thesis research to work for the U.S. government or the LDS church in China.

Zachary Davis
Spring/Summer 2009

Zach is from St. George, Utah and is writing his Honors Thesis on why some autocracies provide better governance and more public goods than others. Zach became interested in governance after learning that good political institutions are the key to development. While at BYU Zach has enjoyed editing the Political Review and hosting the Honors Program Culture Nights. Zach is also a recipient of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellowship and eventually hopes to pursue a PhD and study more about governance and its impact on development.

Julie DeLong
Fall 2006

Julie is an Economics major from Anoka, Minnesota. Her focus is on household and family economic issues. This interest led to her thesis topic related to the increasing inequality in the United States. Her honors thesis is entitled ?Why is Median Income Falling?: The Effect of Changing Household Composition on Income Distribution.? It discusses the increase in single parents and elderly citizens living alone and how this trend relates to income. Julie?s best undergraduate experience was her ?Pen and the Sword? Honors civilization class. She increased her appreciation for literature and the message behind it. This class also helped her make the rest of her education more meaningful. Julie has made a lasting connection with Hungary and its people. She has been there as an exchange student, intern, missionary, and visitor. Between school work, research, and travel, Julie has developed interests in music, editing, reading, calligraphy, and country dancing. Although Julie is majoring in Economics, her plans for the future include many things, one of which is to become a writer.

Laurie Evans
Spring/Summer 2008

Laurie Evans is passionate about international development issues. After serving a mission to the Dominican Republic and observing the prevalence of couples that choose cohabitation over marriage, this Salt Lake City, Utah native was inspired to research family economic issues. Her passion culminated in her honors thesis titled, ?Fragile Families in Lesser-developed Countries: A Comparison of the Outcomes of Marriages and Informal Unions in the Dominican Republic.? The results of her research indicate that informal unions are associated with a sense of impermanence in the relationship, reduced levels of trust, a weakened sense of family responsibility in men, and less educational attainment for women and children of informal unions. Besides her honors thesis, Laurie?s best undergraduate experiences include studying abroad in Costa Rica and researching with Dr. Kirk Hawkins in Venezuela. This summer, Laurie will intern for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Kyle Fiet
Fall 2002

Kyle Fiet is from Louisville, Kentucky, and his honors thesis is entitled Recent Advances in Ambient Aerosol Monitoring: The RAMS. His research involves developing and field testing a new method for measuring semi-volatile air pollution. A new air pollution monitor developed at BYU, the RAMS, is one of the first monitors that can accurately measure semi-volatile air pollution. Kyle became involved in the RAMS project because he has had an interest in environmental issues since high school, and he thought the RAMS project had significant practical implications in epidemiology and air pollution standards. Planning on pursuing a graduate degree in chemical engineering, Kyle believes the experience he gained while conducting thesis research will provide him with valuable experience in obtaining funding, conducting research, and collaborating with other researchers on difficult technical issues. Kyle?s best undergraduate experience has been interacting daily with other students and discussing science, arts, literature, religion, and politics.

Jospeh H. Fitzgerald
Spring/Summer 2005

From Farmington, Utah, Joseph is an International Relations major. Joseph?s best undergraduate experience has been his participation in various student groups at the Kennedy Center. He has enjoyed working with other students and faculty associated with the Kennedy Center, and he has been involved with the Kennedy Center Student Council and the honor society Sigma Iota Rho (SIR) for two years. Joseph met his fianc?e last fall through the Kennedy Center Council. Since she is Brazilian, he took Portuguese 101 to help him better understand her family?s culture and ask her father for her hand in marriage. They plan to be married in August. When searching for an honors thesis research project, Joseph chose his thesis advisor first. Then, he found a topic that fit with his advisor?s area of expertise and incorporated Joseph?s political science and economic interests. Joseph?s research focuses on the impact protection of intellectual property rights has on economic growth. Joseph is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about academic research and believes his honors thesis will help him understand the complex international world. Joseph plans to work for a couple of years for an international corporation/organization or the U.S. State Department in Foreign Service. Eventually, he hopes to pursue an international MBA.

Bart D Frischknecht
Fall 2003

Bart is from Fruit Heights, Utah. He served a mission in Madrid, Spain, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his undergraduate years, he has worked closely with faculty members and has been involved in many exciting projects. During his third year at BYU, Bart joined a group of students building small remote control airplanes. His mentor encouraged him to get involved, so he began doing research on propellers including wind tunnel testing. He presented his research at the State American Society of Mechanical Engineers and won first place; then, he took second place at the regional competition. One of the propellers Bart modified was used on the winning endurance plane in the 6th Annual International Micro Air Vehicle Competition in April 2002. Bart has been a member of the BYU Micro Air Vehicle team for three years and has served as the chair of the BYU section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His research experience has allowed him to be a research assistant in a graduate lab on campus, a summer intern with Lockheed Martin, and to earn a position on the Micro Air Vehicle team for his senior capstone design project. In his honors thesis, New Constant-Force Mechanism Configurations, he is exploring a new set of mechanisms that provide a constant output force over a range of mechanism displacement which might be applied to Micro Electro Mechanical Systems and other medical devices. Bart has been married for three years, and plans to pursue a graduate degree in mechanical engineering. His future plans include a career in research and development in industry, and to someday teach at a university.

Adam Frischknecht
Winter 2006

Hailing from Fruit Heights, Utah, Adam is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Adam makes sure to get a well-rounded education and is drawn towards interdisciplinary research. Therefore, it is no surprise that his honors thesis is in the area of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Adam feels grateful that he could participate in research at a college that is doing some of the best work in that field. After graduating this April, Adam plans to continue his education and earn a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in Biomechanics. He would like to study the connection between ?the mechanics of human motion [and] the design of products used by people?from everyday items to biomedical assistive devices.? Adam believes that his thesis work went a long way in preparing him for graduate school applications and his future in his field. Adam?s greatest experiences at BYU have been part of researching. For his latest project, he was able to travel to Mexico and work with students from other colleges. To balance his time in the lab, Adam spent his summers working in American Fork Canyon and other outdoor sites around Timpanogos. During the school year he was a ?super fan? of the BYU cross country and track and field teams.

Robert Gardner
Winter 2006

Robert is from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a BFA senior with an emphasis in painting. His honors thesis reflects his melding of art and religion and is entitled ?Truth in Fiction: A Treatise on the Arts.? Robert covers the long debated issue of the roles that stories and fiction play in getting people to see the truth. He compares artwork to Christ?s parables in its ability to ?help men attain light and knowledge.? By making this a focus of his study, Robert hopes to prepare himself for a more liberal graduate school where he will need to stay true to his own beliefs and ideas towards life and art. A culminating point in his undergraduate experience was when a teacher mentioned to Robert, a recently returned missionary, the influence that the Holy Ghost can have even in a secular classroom. This helped him see that art and faith could be melded and harmonized. In addition to honing his artistic talents, Robert spent three years touring with BYU?s International Folk Dance Ensemble. There he developed ?an insatiable appetite for Hungarian Dance styles,? something he has found himself practicing in the grocery store or on a street corner.

Matthew Gee
Winter 2007

This Austin, Texas native is majoring in Economics with a double minor in Philosophy and Mathematics. His honors thesis examines the impact of ambient air pollution on human mortality. Specifically it looks at a natural experiment created by a nine month labor strike at copper smelting plants in four Southwestern states in the late sixties. The strike resulted in a significant temporary decrease in regional sulfate levels, and his thesis uses statistical modeling to examine any concomitant decrease in human mortality related to the temporary improvement in air quality. The research he did for his thesis has been augmented with the help of Doug Rodermund under the direction of Dr. Arden Pope and is now being published as an article in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Matt enhanced his BYU undergraduate education in a number of ways: he was a Writing Fellow, a teaching assistant for Honors Colloquium in Sciences, a member of the University Singers for two years, and an intern on Capital Hill through BYU?s Washington Seminar Program. Matt considers his greatest achievement to be persuading Lisa Christensen to marry him. They have been happily married for two years, and Matt hopes to dance and sing through life with Lisa by his side. After graduation, Matt plans to work in Washington D.C. before attending graduate school for a Ph.D. in Economics.

Garrett Gibbons
Winter 2009

Garrett is proud to call Bainbridge Island, Washington home. During Garrett's LDS mission in Southern Spain, he visited Gibraltar and was completely fascinated by the way the people spoke; mixing English and Spanish words and phrases so completely that it was something entirely different than those original languages. His curiosity later led him to want to research this, but he found that there was a dearth of information. This led to the creation of his Honors thesis, in which he is documenting language in Gibraltar and how it is a reflection of the national identity. Garrett's future plans include involvement in the film industry.

James Duncan Gilchrist
Spring/Summer 2004

James, a senior from Denver, Colorado, is conducting his honors thesis research on the medical writings of Moses Maimonides, a 12th Century Arab Jew, and comparing his suggestions with modern medical wisdom. As a Middle Eastern Studies major planning to attend medical school, James believes that ?Moses Maimonides is a good blend of both of those interests.? James presented his research findings in his Islam and Modern Science class with a concoction of water from boiled garbanzo beans mixed with honey. He claims, ?This was a non-alcoholic substitute for wine the [Moses Maimonides] proscribed to his Muslim patients.? Needless to say, his classmates were thoroughly disgusted. James feels that his best undergraduate experience was the study abroad he did in Syria because of the opportunities he has been given from learning Arabic. He plans to attend an osteopathic medical school founded on principles advocated by Hippocrates, Galen, and other ancient physicians because they ?focus on preventative medicine and proscribing a good regimen of health to avoid disease.?

Abraham Gong
Winter 2006

Abe Gong came to BYU from McLean, Virginia. He is very busy while he combines a Communications major with minors in Japanese, Mathematics, and Management. His honors thesis deals with the topic of students? news and current events awareness. Abe explored the importance of this awareness as it relates to civic duty and society?s well-being, and also the issues that create barriers. He has learned a lot in this research, as he came in with ideas but less hard knowledge and terminology. Abe plans to complete graduate-level research in public policy and economics. Completing this project has given Abe experience with original research and helped him delve into current issues in his field. In his spare time Abe has worked on several independent projects, many of which helped him with his honors thesis. Two of his memorable activities were working with the ORCA grant and founding the Current Events Student Association.

Rachael Goodwin
Spring/Summer 2009

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Rachael is researching whether non-governmental organizations are promoting dependency rather than sustainability in Ethiopia. Rachael has a passion for humanitarian work and has volunteered not only in Ethiopia but in Bolivia, Peru, Mexico and Kenya. While in Ethiopia Rachael realized that often times NGOs failed to adequately help the people they were supposedly serving and this has led to her interest in alternative conflict resolution. NGOs are often hampered by a tendency to pursue their own projects and inevitable difficulties of working with a host government. As a result Rachael chose her research topic in order to educate readers on the successes and problems/failures of development and aid programs. Rachael's ultimate motive for doing her research is to improve and facilitate more productive long-term NGO operations in Ethiopia. Rachael excels in dance and sports. She was offered a faculty position teaching in the Dance Department at the New School affiliated American Musical and Dramatic Academy but chose instead to serve as a full-time missionary in Washington D.C. Rachael's future plans include a Juris Doctorate/Masters in Public Administration in order to pursue a career in government or public-interest organizations.

Raymond Grams
Fall 2005

Ray grew up in Ottawa, Wisconsin. Not one to waste time, Ray has used his undergraduate experience to pursue his interest and career in medicine. While his major is in Neuroscience, his honors thesis focused on the related areas of molecular biology and biomedicine. Ray used research that began with Dr. David McClellan in 2001 to study ?the molecular structure and physicochemical properties associated with [certain] cytokines, so that variations of these proteins can be used for anti-cancer and immunotherapy.? He was able to present at conferences in California, Alaska, and New Zealand. His honors thesis fits perfectly with his future plans for medical school and becoming a physician. Ray says that his best undergraduate experience was a BYU International Volunteers Program with public health organizations in Bolivia. There he not only learned about the framework of such organizations, but he also gained an ?appreciation for the culture of the Bolivian Altiplano.? To unwind from his more serious pursuits Ray spends time on intramural soccer teams and enjoying the great outdoors of Utah.

Nathan B. Grigg
Spring/Summer 2007

Nathan, a senior majoring in Mathematics, is from Chubbuck, Idaho.?He is working with Dr. Tyler Jarvis on his honors thesis titled "Factorization of Tropical Polynomials," which involves redefining normal polynomials by addition and multiplication. In the fall, Nathan will be attending a math Ph.D. program at the University of Washington. Although he anticipates his next educational endeavor, Nathan has loved studying at BYU. While at BYU, Nathan has especially enjoyed attending the honors summer film series. This August, Nathan and his wife, Amy, will both graduate with University Honors. He said that it has been quite an experience to go through the Honors Program with his wife. They have enjoyed films, plays and symphonies, and stressed over their theses together.

Stephen Grover
Fall 2006

An English major from Sugarland, Texas, Stephen is also pursuing a minor in Korean. His honors thesis is a collection of personal essays. The idea sprang directly from a creative writing class where he learned that the casual writing style he had enjoyed with friends has a name?creative nonfiction. Stephen?s thesis work will be essential in his application to creative writing programs, but, more importantly, it has helped him look at himself and his life from a different perspective and has made him a smarter and better person. Stephen?s best undergraduate experience was an honors civilization class from Professor Seely. It is best described in Stephen?s own words: ?It changed my life. It sent me to New York, London, Paris and Edinburgh. I mean, I saw Hammurabi?s code. In person. Need I say more? Even indirectly, it scored me a big cash prize in a writing contest, a sweet new job, a toga, free relationship counseling?Oh, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and understanding that cannot be quenched.?

Brian Hall
Fall 2005

Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Brian Hall is majoring in Jazz Performance. Since music--Jazz in particular--is a subject dear to his heart, Brian was certain that his honors thesis would reflect his interests. He narrowed his topic to a single song and is now analyzing the work of three great jazz musicians: John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. His final outcome will be to determine, from his research and analysis, who is the true author of Blue in Green, a song from the best-selling album Kind of Blue. The authorship of this song is under debate, and Brian hopes to solve this mystery. Although his past, present and future center around Jazz performance--including time spent touring the nation with BYU?s Synthesis--Brian makes sure that his humanities learning is well-rounded. His favorite class at BYU was French & Italian Cinema with Professor Daryl Lee. From this class, Brian learned a great deal about communicating ideas. He also felt that the class ?opened up a world of great art.? Maybe that freshman experience played a part in Brian becoming a self-proclaimed ?International Cinema junkie.? For much of the time, he was all alone in his quest for learning, but now is grateful to have found his own ?eternal International Cinema companion.?

Sharon Janelle Harris
Fall 2004

Sharon?s father served in the Air Force, and their family moved around a lot. She was a BYU baby born in Provo, and then her family moved to Missouri. She has also lived twice in Texas, California, and Idaho. Now that her father is retired from the Air Force, her family seems to be settled in Twin Falls, Idaho. Sharon is a Music Education major with Choral emphasis and a minor in English. Some of the highlights of her education at BYU include a Study Abroad in London, entering writing contests each semester, giving vocal recitals, singing with BYU choirs, serving a mission in Fortaleza, Brazil, and working in the Undergraduate Education office and as a Writing Fellow. Sharon currently enjoys singing in Concert Choir with her brother, Vaughn. Although she has enjoyed Shakespeare throughout her life, she ?heartily disliked opera? before she came to BYU. Now that she has grown to love opera, she is combining her major and minor for her honors thesis topic. Her thesis investigates Giuseppe Verdi?s opera, Otello, and how his setting of Othello (Shakespeare?s play) demonstrates his cultural reading of Shakespeare?s text. Sharon is working with Dr. Joseph Parry (Humanities) and Dr. Harrison Powley (Music) and is focusing on how Verdi portrays the danger of love in human relationships theme in the opera. After she graduates, she will probably direct choirs in public school for a little while before pursuing a Master?s degree in English. Eventually, Sharon hopes to obtain a doctorate degree as well, most likely in English.

Rijen B Hendrick
Fall 2003

Rijen, who was born in Amsterdam and says no one has ever said his name right the first time, reports he is from Bountiful, Utah, but he grew up traveling the world because his father was in the Air Force. He is an International Studies major and is writing his honors thesis on The Feasibility, Practicality, and Ramifications of a Unified EU Policy on Asylum/Refugee Procedure. Last March, he presented a paper he co-authored on ?Fostering European Identity in an Enlarged European Union: Analysis and Perspective? at the EUSA conference in Nashville, Tennessee. While studying at BYU, Rijen has gone back to South Africa (where he served his mission) and Malawi to independently set up an AIDS/Literacy program. He has also had the opportunity to go to London twice to study and conduct research. Rijen plans to continue studying the European Union by pursuing a law degree emphasizing EU law and international law in general. His passions include soccer, Al Franken political satire books, and playing and traveling to tournaments with the Provo Cricket Club.

Elizabeth Jane Hiatt
Spring/Summer 2004

From San Diego, California, Elizabeth is a double major in Art (painting) and Music. Throughout her undergraduate education, she has noticed similarities and connections between both forms of expression, but many others have told her they could not be combined. So, despite their discouragement, Elizabeth decided to experiment with ways to combine the two. For her honors thesis, she researched the different ways art and music have been combined and implemented the ideas into her own project of painting the lyrical and atmospheric qualities of music. She is hoping that her written thesis and two art shows ?will inspire others to ponder and explore the connection between art and music.? At BYU, Elizabeth has also enjoyed private lessons for playing the oboe and associations with a few very supportive professors who have assisted her with her interests. She is expecting her first child and will be moving to Ithaca, New York with her husband, Shon, where he will pursue a doctorate in International Development.

Sarah Hocking
Winter 2008

Sarah Ann Landgren Hocking hails from Denver, Colorado. She received inspiration for her honors thesis from one of her nursing classes on complementary and alternative therapies and their use by people with chronic plain. Sarah found that there was a substantial amount of research on chronic pain management of older adults but little research on chronic pain management of younger adults with similar conditions. She believes that her research will enable her to show greater empathy for the people who have chronic pain, help her find ways to control their pain, and improve their quality of life. One of Sarah?s best undergraduate experiences was traveling to Lake Tahoe with a nursing class to attend a national holistic nursing conference. She plans to build upon her undergraduate research experience in her future graduate work in nursing.

Aaron Hunsaker
Winter 2008

Aaron is from McCammon, Idaho and majoring in European Studies and German Literature. For his honors thesis, Aaron is researching the writings of German Christian missionary Jakob Irle, who served in modern-day Namibia from 1870 to 1903. Shortly after Jakob left, the Herero Wars began as German troops killed 60-80% of the native Namibian population in the German colony after the natives rose up in rebellion. Modern scholars are calling this the first genocide of the century, and some have even linked this event with the Holocaust and German supremacy. Aaron?s research attempts to present a different side of German colonization, one of concern and belief in perceived ?inferior? race?s intrinsic value. In the future, Aaron plans to enter a master?s program in Jewish-Christian Relations at the University of Cambridge in England.

Abrial Kathryn-Anne Hunter
Fall 2003

Abrial is from Kearns, Utah. She is majoring in Linguistics and is writing A Parents? Guide to the Brigham Young University Experience for her honors capstone project. This handbook will be addressed to new students? parents, and it will include frequently asked questions about the university. She has worked in Freshman Academy as a peer mentor for three years and believes that ?the more knowledge and information a student has at the beginning, the better the experience will be when they arrive at the end.? Abrial will present her honors capstone project at the 10th Annual National Conference on Students in Transition. Her project has helped her realize that her academic passions are not limited by her major, and she enjoys exploring many opportunities offered by the university. Abrial said, ?Learning is not something that has to happen in a classroom or a library. My university education includes formal instruction, but it allows me to learn more when I apply the knowledge I learn.? She feels the most satisfying part of her university experience has been to use her knowledge to serve the community and make positive changes. In the future, she plans to become a college professor.

Christopher Husberg
Spring/Summer 2009

Christopher is from Eagle River, Alaska. He is researching how Dante uses neologisms to express the ineffable nature of his Paradiso-specifically creating a philosophical framework for the use of those neologisms. Christopher chose this topic after taking a class from Dr. Madison Sowell on Dante's Divine Comedy. Dante's imaginative techniques and the meticulous perfection evident in his work have served as an inspiration for Christopher who plans on applying to MFA programs in Creative Writing. Christopher has received numerous awards from the English department for his fiction and has performed on the BYU Ballroom Dance Touring Company. He credits his thesis research for helping him better understand the world of academic writing.

Rock Hymas
Winter 2003

Rock Hymas is from Kennewick, Washington. For his honors thesis he is researching the possibility of a functional quantum programming language. Quantum computation allows problems to be solved more quickly than they are on a classical computer. Rock derived his thesis topic from what he learned in quantum computation classes and programming languages classes. He finds these fields interesting and plans on working with software, designing tools that will make organizing and planning easier. Rock?s thesis project has developed his research and writing skills and has taught him how to motivate himself to complete a large project. During his undergraduate education Rock Hymas found a love for the arts and literature. As part of the BYU Honors Program he attended several plays, films and musical performances. To his own surprise he found a love for operas, specifically BYU?s production of ?La Traviata? and ?The Magic Flute.? Rock loves to spend time with his wife and son. He also enjoys running marathons and reprogramming applications in his palm pilot.

Heather Jacques
Fall 2004

Heather is from Salt Lake City, Utah, is majoring in International Studies, and has been very involved in the Honors Program at BYU. She is currently Vice President of BYUSA and Chair of the Student Advisory Council. Heather has had a longstanding interest in French politics and culture. Her honors thesis research allows her to study both of these subjects and examine how each influences the other. She recently traveled to Paris to conduct her thesis research on ?how museum space has been shaped by the forces of politics, culture, and public space theories. Two museums in particular, the Mus?e d? Orsay and the Louvre, will serve as case studies and as sources for comparison and contrast.? Heather will be focusing on the time period from 1980 to the present because of its significance for both museums and importance in French politics and society. Referring to her undergraduate education, she stated, ?I know that my education has been greatly enriched through my participation in Honors classes and through Honors activities such as weekly seminars.? Heather served on the Honors Student Advisory Council last year, has completed over fifty credit hours of honors courses, and has worked as a peer advisor in the Honors Advisement Center. She loves chocolate and running, and will soon be publishing an article she wrote with three other Honors students in an Honors Quantum Mechanics class. Heather feels that writing her honors thesis will help her develop the research, reading, and writing skills required for law school. She plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate after she graduates in April.

Scott Jensen
Fall 2008

Scott, an Economics major from Sandy, Utah, is investigating the Roman economy for his honors thesis. His research will involve a trip to Italy to try to piece together the history of the Roman economy in the 5th century AD. His thesis, The Economy of Ancient Campania during the Late Roman Empire, blends the disciplines of Economics and the Classics. Scott plans to graduate in December 2009 and will then pursue a PhD in Political Economy or Public Policy. He is especially interested in the evolution of the American economic and political system and how they have shaped each other. Scott served a mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil where he was troubled by the significant political and economic problems facing that region of the world. When he returned home, he changed his major from English to Economics in order to make a contribution to solving those problems.

Sachiko V Jensen
Winter 2005

Sachiko is a Teaching Social Science major and Japanese Teaching minor. Although she has lived in many places, she usually reports that she is from Utah, Japan, and Michigan. Sachiko has three best undergraduate experiences. During the summer of 2003, she enjoyed her internship as a columnist at the Matsumoto Shimin Times in Nagano, Japan. There she was able to freely see the city and form her own weekly article topics. As a result, she visited schools of every age level, gave speeches at a high school, university, and tour guide convention, interviewed the governor of Nagano, and participated in many cultural events. Secondly, for the past three semesters, she has worked as a teaching assistant for Japanese 221 and 301. Sachiko believes she has learned the value of being well-prepared for class as she has gained real teaching experience by conducting class lectures three times per week. Lastly, Sachiko has been a coordinating member of a research team with Dr. Carol Ward in the Department of Sociology for the past year. The research team of approximately eight members has interviewed over fifty middle and high school students to assess the effects of the GEAR-UP Program in the Provo School District. Sachiko is studying the effectiveness of the GEAR-UP Program for her honors research. She is fascinated with improving education systems to increase efficiency and outreach. GEAR-UP is a federal program that attempts to accomplish some of these goals by providing resources to underprivileged students. She commented, ?I hope this study will help me to become a more perceptive and forward thinking teacher.? Sachiko desires to become an educator and eventually teach at the university level.

J. Daniel Jensen
Winter 2007

Daniel is from Colorado Springs, Colorado and is double majoring in Biochemistry and Portuguese with a minor in Management. Daniel?s current research is the nuclear localization of growth and differentiation factor-5 in mammalian cell lines, as mediated by a newly-discovered bipartite nuclear localization signal. He is particularly interested in the biological sciences and their application to medicine. During spring term 2005, he interned in a small health clinic in El Alto, Bolivia where he not only gained valuable experience while working with indigenous Bolivian people, but also learned much about volatile Bolivian politics. Daniel?s future plans include a career in medicine that will allow him to do humanitarian work in developing countries, while his ?basic sciences? research will provide Daniel with the necessary experience for a position in a laboratory and/or clinical setting. Daniel balances the science side of his education by translating the first volume of a Portuguese Enlightenment-era novel in English (Viagens d?Altina). He also co-authored a paper on youth violence in Bolivia with Dr. Kirk Dearden which describes a correlation between carrying weapons and several risk behaviors. When he is not doing research, he enjoys skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and playing the piano and guitar.

Benjamin F Johnson
Spring/Summer 2004

Ben, an English major, was born in Los Angeles, California, but spent most of his life in Kaysville, Utah. He comes from a family of twelve children and ten of the children, including his parents, have attended BYU. He said, ?If I have accomplished anything in academics, it has come as a direct result of my parent?s example in the lifelong quest for knowledge. Amazingly, they have encouraged me without pushing. They have always honored my interests and allowed me the latitude I needed to study those interests.? At BYU, Ben has enjoyed ?studying the English language, gaining a sense of the past through literature, and taking part in the profound power of language.? He has also enjoyed meeting Dr. Talbot (thesis advisor) and Dr. Madison Sowell (thesis referee) who are both humanities professors; Ben considers both men close friends. Additionally, he enjoyed the pressure of writing as he worked with the Collegiate Post, which gave him an opportunity to write about interesting topics not required for a course. In Dr. John Talbot?s Classics and the Western Tradition class, Dr. Talbot?s expertise, insight, and encouragement inspired Ben to study Alfred Tennyson?s classical allusions. Ben has chosen to focus his honors thesis ?on the way that Alfred Tennyson entered the vitalistic-mechanical debates of the 1860?s and 70?s with his poem ?Lucretius.?? Ben is looking at Tennyson?s methods for interacting with De Rerum Natura, the work of the ancient Latin poet-philosopher Lucretius, to identify Tennyson?s attitudes about classical and modern materialism. Ben plans to pursue a Ph.D. at St. Anne?s College, University of Oxford in England this fall. He feels that his honors thesis research was ?invaluable in writing [his] dissertation proposal for admission.? Ben will be expanding his honors thesis topic into his doctoral dissertation on the philosophy of science in the writings of Tennyson, Matthew Arnold, and other Victorian writers.

Christine Johnson
Fall 2005

Christine Johnson hails from Manti, Utah. She is a senior in Mathematics Education and is currently student teaching at Midvale Middle School. For her honors thesis, Christine has undertaken the difficult task of crossing the divide between left-brain and right-brain learning. In her student teaching she has noticed that it is not always the concepts that can confuse math students, but sometimes it is the language with which math is presented. Christine hopes to find better vocabulary to make math more accessible to students. This will directly help her in the future as she begins her career as a math teacher. In October, Christine was able to present her thesis in Virginia at the North American Chapter of the Group for Psychology of Math Education Conference. Christine feels that a lot of success in and enjoyment of her education at BYU has been the excellent faculty with which she has worked.

Cree Jones
Fall 2005

Cree Jones once called Burley, Idaho home, but for his undergraduate experience and the remainder of his education, he is planning to gain some travel as well as academic experience. Cree spent the summer at the University of California Davis, involved in a research fellowship sponsored by the National Science Foundation and he had decided to continue that research with his honors thesis. His specific topic is the applications of symmetries to the study of quantum spin system of finite graphs. Cree is certain that the research and work for the thesis will prepare him for research in furthering his education and give him an edge when applying to graduate programs. After graduating, Cree is applying to Teach for America, a two-year commitment. Afterwards, he plans to complete a Master?s program in mathematical physics at King?s College, University of London. Cree will also continue and earn a PhD in the same field. Although he sings the praises of the summer research fellowship, Cree feels that his best undergraduate experience was one of life, not classroom, learning. He was able to visit the Grand Canyon and ?capture America in finger paints, discover Mates of State, read quality literature, and solidify friendships that [he] feels will endure throughout [his] lifetime and beyond.?

Cambria Jones
Fall 2007

Cambria grew up on a dairy farm in West Haven, Utah. Her honors thesis is titled ?Hispanic Immigrant Childbearing Women,? and it is an outcomes analysis on a program called the Hispanic Labor Friends. Although Cambria has always been interested in maternity nursing, it was not until after she served a Spanish-speaking mission in Oklahoma that she became interested in the Hispanic immigrant population. When Cambria found out that Dr. Lynn Callister was doing research with the Hispanic childbearing women in the Ogden area, she immediately volunteered. In the future, Cambria plans to earn a Master?s degree as a Certified Nurse Midwife. Her greatest undergraduate experience was attending the BYU Jerusalem Center during Winter Semester 2007, and her time spent there learning about the Master Healer was by far her most life-changing experience. Cambria loves spending time outdoors, playing the piano, traveling, and having brownie batter fights with her roommates.

Jessica Kendrick
Spring/Summer 2006

Jessica is from West Friendship, Maryland and is the oldest of four children. She is a Political Science major with an emphasis in Women?s Issues. She has played a very active role in BYU?s club Parity, including serving as President for the 2005-2006 academic year. Jessica combined her various interests into a thesis project that covered many disciplines. Her honors thesis focused on film as a reflection of society. She compared the two versions of The Stepford Wives (1975, 2000) and examined the gender roles and portrayals. She then noted the differences in the two films and associated them with changes in society?s view of gender. Jessica felt that her honors thesis experience will be very helpful in her future. The research skills she has developed will be very useful in the workforce and her career. After graduation, Jessica plans to work in the Salt Lake area before returning to school to earn a Master?s Degree. She plans to keep her emphasis on women?s studies and politics.

Seth A Killingbeck
Winter 2003

Seth A. Killingbeck, from Georgetown, Texas, has a love for writing and economics. His thesis incorporates both by surveying 700 BYU economics alumni to assess how well the economics department has trained its students for on-the-job writing duties. His thesis, ?The Marginal Utility of Student Writing,? began as a Writing Fellows project. Seth has enjoyed working with economics faculty and Kristine Hansen from University Writing. He has also enjoyed his classes with Dr. Kearl and his experience as a Writing Fellow. Seth wants to practice law in the future. He feels that his thesis project has given him a stronger desire to do research and publish his own work.

Dong-Jin Kim
Winter 2007

Dong-Jin Kim, or Dan as he?s known by his friends, was born in Seoul, South Korea and grew up in a small fishing village near the North Korean border.? His family immigrated to the United States in 1994. His thesis, which creates an economic model that simulates the current economic situation in North Korea, will be co-authored with Dr. Kerk Phillips of the Economics department.? Possible economic reforms are tested within the model, such as capital and labor allocation reforms and complete market reforms.? Other questions can be answered, such as the effect of a nuclear energy reactor within the utilities sector of the economy. Dan?s research contains personal meaning for him as many of his relatives currently live in North Korea. Largely because of his research experience with the Honors Thesis and the Honors Cambridge Summer Programme, Dan has been accepted to Cambridge University where he will study International Relations. He aspires to become an expert on international affairs and receive his PhD. Dan looks forward this semester to an interview with the Gates Scholarship Committee, and we wish him success in his interview!

Megan Knowles
Fall 2009

Megan, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is researching spatial patterns in the Korean-American population. After returning from the Daejeon, Korea Mission, Megan was surprised at how little research has been done on Korean-Americans. As a result Megan began her research, specifically noting how Korean-Americans assimilate into the general population and the changes in their spatial patterns. From her research Megan has gained an increased interest in demography and the treatment of minority groups. She appreciates how her research has expanded her horizons, making her better able to address issues like affordable housing and housing patterns. In addition to her research Megan has enjoyed studying in Spain and at Cambridge. Her future plans include graduate school in either Architecture or Urban Design.

Leighton Koberlein
Spring/Summer 2003

Leighton Koberlein is from Loomis, California. His honors capstone project is a Greek-style tragedy on King David. While trying to decide on a focus for his honors thesis/capstone project, Leighton searched in vain for other topics that would impress the faculty. But his idea to write a Greek-style tragedy was ?the only project that could motivate? him. His tragedy will follow the style of the ?plays of Euripides in that it protests a socially acceptable issue that [he] sees as morally wrong.? Leighton?s best undergraduate experience was when he met a girl named Tori in his Honors 300 class. Tori and Leighton were married in the Oakland temple in December 2002. Leighton plans to attend law school.

Elise Krauel
Fall 2008

Elise hails from West Valley City, Utah. Her honors thesis is titled New Light on the Dark Side of Vesuvius: The Production and Use of Glass in the Late Antiquity. Elise came up with her unique topic after participating in an excavation on the north side of Mount Vesuvius, Italy. This experience helped her discover her love for archaeological field work and gain insight into the Italian culture and how archaeology is perceived and performed in that culture and country. Elise plans on continuing her education by obtaining a Masters degree in Archaeology. She knows that her thesis research is preparing her for graduate studies as it has taught her the process of research, analysis of material goods, and interpretations of an archaeological site.

Stephanie Lassen
Fall 2007

Stephanie is from Western Washington and most recently hails from Vancouver, Washington. She is researching the reaction of the religious communities in both Britain and France to the writings of Thomas Hobbes, in particular, his Leviathan. Her honors thesis is a combination of her fascination with French culture, religion?s constant evolving role in a society, and philosophy. Stephanie plans to pursue a doctorate in history, with an emphasis on French Intellectualism. One of Stephanie?s best undergraduate experiences was studying at King?s College during her BYU Summer Honors at Cambridge last summer. There she met students from around the world, and was able to share her passions for debate and British sweets.

Quan Mai
Winter 2006

Quan came to the United States as an exchange student from Hanoi, Vietnam. He spent his last year of high school with a host family and was able to come to BYU with the help of others. Quan is majoring in Management with an emphasis in Financial Services and a minor in Economics. After participating in the Asia Business Study Abroad program, he spoke with Dr. Seawright about the Asian business environment and chose to apply what he had learned and focus his attention on Vietnam. His honors thesis reflects this decision as he seeks to ?identify the characteristics that contribute to entrepreneurial success for those who started their businesses in the informal economy and grew the businesses into the formal economy.? Quan is grateful for the many opportunities he has had at BYU to increase his learning. He was amazed at the international and research opportunities he has been able to obtain through the Marriott School, ORCA, and the Honors Program. He also used BYU?s opportunities to have fun and gain cultural experiences. He loves attending BYU concerts and theatrical performances as well as reading, participating in soccer, and playing computer games.

Adrianne Gardner Malan
Winter 2005

Adrianne is from Bountiful, Utah, and she is majoring in English with a minor in Management. Her most memorable undergraduate experience has been studying abroad in London. She commented, ?I was able to study my discipline in the very place where some of the world?s greatest literature was born. I was even able to visit the house of Charles Dickens and Portsmouth, the town of his birth.? In her English 333 (The English Novel) class, she studied several different English novels from the viewpoint of the family. Adrianne?s honors thesis is an extension of a research paper she wrote for the class. Her literary analysis of Charles Dickens? novel Great Expectations will focus on the familial and moral issues at play in the novel. Dickens lacked a moral leader in his childhood home-life, and she argues that the same lack of moral leadership was prevalent in his Victorian society. Adrianne plans to use the writing skills she has obtained from her honors thesis to pursue a Master?s degree in English literature.

Jonathan Mangum
Fall 2006

Jonathan is from Columbus, Ohio. He is double majoring in Economics and English in addition to a minor in Philosophy. After completing an internship in microfinance for FINCA International, Jonathan decided to get involved with Professor Godfrey?s research and the BYU Economic Center for Self-Reliance. During his time as an undergraduate, Jonathan has studied microfinance in Peru, Ecuador, Uganda, Ghana, and the Navajo Nation. His honors thesis centered on Ghana and Navajo Nation. He hopes that his research will help people become more economically self-reliant. Working in the Economic Self-Reliance Student Association and playing in the lacrosse championship are high on Jonathan?s list of favorite experiences, but he feels that his best undergraduate experience was his research and the fact that it allowed him to apply his classroom learning to a real-life situation. His research will also help as he earns a JD/MBA and begins to work in international development.

Meghan McGrath
Spring/Summer 2009

Meghan is from Chicago, Illinois which she considers "perhaps the greatest city in the world." Her honors thesis research is titled "Negotiating Culture Change through the Bobbili Yuddha Katha in Visakhapatnam District, South India." Meghan will be doing research with a group of South Indian storytellers, specifically with those who memorize and recite the local epic poem Bobbili Yuddha Katha. She hopes to record performances and assist in the translation effort so that the Bobbili Yuddha Katha can be accessed by a wider audience. Meghan became interested in this research while working with the Veterans History Project. She feels that oral history and folklore research is crucial because it broadens perspectives and preserves history as it was actually experienced by its participants. The Honors Program and SemClub have been memorable parts of Meghan's undergraduate experience. She also enjoyed John Bennion's "Wilderness Writing" class where she finally learned how to do a cartwheel. In the future Meghan hopes to pursue a PhD in English or folklore.

Joseph Michael Miller
Spring/Summer 2005

Joe, from Fox River Grove, Illinois, is majoring in English with a minor in Editing. BYU?s Academic Vice President, John S. Tanner, once quoted Mark Twain to Joe: ?Don?t let schooling get in the way of your education.? Joe has strived to make this his undergraduate motto. Accordingly, he has chosen to create an undergraduate health journal, Body, Mind & Spirit, for his honors thesis project. He has enjoyed this task as he was able to combine his personal and academic interests with the opportunity to educate the BYU community on health issues, offer mentored writing and editorial training, and provide publishing opportunities for BYU undergraduates. Joe plans to pursue a career in the publishing field, and this project has allowed him to experience everything from editing to sponsorship. Referring to the experience, Joe commented, ?This has been one of the most valuable experiences of my undergraduate education. I?d like to thank my advisors, editors, authors, and others who have supported me and contributed to the creation of this journal.? Joe went on to personally thank Linda Hunter Adams and Erin Sidse Sanders, who were instrumental in helping this project to become more than a dream. Other highlights of Joe?s undergraduate education include various publishing internships, serving little Argentine boys, developing friendships, and finding Heidi Swallow, whom he will marry on August 12, in Nauvoo.

Joseph Muhlestein
Winter 2009

Joseph was born in Durham, North Carolina but lived most of his life in Bountiful, Utah. Joseph's honors thesis research is part of an ongoing project by the BYU EUV/Thin Films group to create a mirror image of the Earth's magnetosphere. A former mirror made by the group was used on the NASA IMAGE mission in 2000. Joseph's research-determining the index of refraction of Ytrrium Oxide, specifically in the extreme ultraviolet range of 5-30 nm-could help create a better mirror for future missions. And as Joseph puts it, "How cool is that?!" Joseph has also participated in several other campus groups including the award winning BYU team in the National Model United Nations tournament of 2008. He has also immensely enjoyed some of his honors classes, especially Kelly Ogden's Jerusalem class and Honors Wilderness Writing. Joseph is currently deciding which medical school to attend this fall and hopes to become an ear, eye, and throat doctor

Samuel Nielson
Spring/Summer 2007

Samuel, a Geography major, grew up in Alpine, Utah. His honors thesis is a spatial comparison of laws regarding the rights of Muslim minorities living in Belgium, France, and Great Britain. While serving on his mission in Belgium and France, Samuel noticed that each country had different laws regarding Islamic worship. Understanding differing legal systems will be beneficial as he begins law school this fall and studies comparative law. Ultimately, Samuel wants to become a professor of international law and use his current research to write articles on Muslims in Europe. Some of Samuel?s undergraduate accomplishments include placing second in the 2005 Phi Kappa Phi Undergraduate Student Writing Competition, dancing with the BYU Ballroom Dance Company for one year, competing with the BYU Model Arab League Team for three years, and working as an ordinance worker at the Provo Temple for one year.

Andrew Ning
Winter 2006

Andrew comes from Farmington, Utah, but he has long had his eyes on the sky. He is majoring in Applied Physics and has spent his undergraduate time participating in various interdisciplinary studies. For his honors thesis Andrew worked on research for space gear suitable for astronauts on Mars. This has been extremely beneficial for Andrew because he has had to gain and incorporate knowledge in areas such as medical biology, materials science, optics, and engineering design. His future plans include a double Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration. He also plans to work on various engineering teams and later start his own business. Andrew felt that attending and presenting at the International Mars Society Conference was one of the highlights of his undergraduate education. He also enjoyed spending his time in various sports, such as soccer, tae kwon do, basketball, and snowboarding. Of course, Andrew has no doubt of his best experience at BYU. Hands down, meeting his wife, from chance encounters in the Eyring Science Center to exercising together, was the pinnacle of his time at BYU.

Melbourn O'Banion II
Winter 2004

Melbourne is majoring in Business Finance with a minor in Ancient and Near Eastern Studies, and he was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He is very passionate about biblical studies and has taken courses in Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Studies. His honors thesis research involves ?conducting a seriatim examination of the inner literary periscope of Daniel 7:9-14, focusing on the prophecies concerning Adam-ondi-Ahman,? and then he will ?analyze and explain the key events of Adam-ondi-Ahman foretold by Daniel from an LDS perspective.? Melbourne?s best undergraduate experience has been, ?pursuing two distinctly different, but equally engaging, areas of study.? Combining his two fields of interest, he published an article in the Winter 2004 edition of the Studia Antiqua entitled, ?The Law of the Red Heifer: A Type and Shadow of Jesus Christ.? Melbourne plans to continue his religious studies in a graduate program and use his honors thesis as a foundation for other areas of research and interest.

Rachael Orton
Winter 2003

Rachael Orton is from Tucson, Arizona. Her major is in psychology with a business minor. Rachael found the idea for her thesis during a lecture in her Introductory Economics class. She was interested in knowing if culture plays a factor in how firms are structured. She addressed this interest in her class. Her teacher expounded on it and her interest grew to a research project. She is now researching and analyzing the hierarchal structures of firms in various cultures. She feels her thesis is exciting because it shows the application of psychology in fields other than therapy. She hopes to work in the area of organizational development or research and training. She wants to use what she has learned to ?enhance the quality and satisfaction of work life for employees.? She has been involved in many activities outside of the BYU Honors Program which she feels add significantly to her undergraduate education. She has enjoyed acting in plays and films, performing with the University Orchestra, taking a backpacking class, and using her seasonal ski pass

Nancy Ellen Owens
Fall 2002

Nancy Ellen Owens says that her best undergraduate experiences were the exceptional writing classes she took, especially Honors Civilization and Creative Writing. She not only learned a lot in these writing classes, but also had fun at the same time. Nancy is from Livermore, California, and chose her thesis research topic when she returned from her LDS mission in Berlin, Germany. She found a job working as a research assistant for Todd Peterson in the Computer Science department. His research area was reinforcement learning, and after a few months she realized that she was very interested in the field and wanted to make her own contribution. Thus, her honors thesis, Multiagent Coordination in Cooperative Q-learning Systems, centers around research she performed in relation to artificially intelligent computer programs, called agents, which learn to perform tasks through trial and error. She studied the causes of this interference and ways through which it can be overcome. Nancy?s honors thesis research prepared her for the research she plans to conduct in the future and taught her how to organize and present her information better.

Andrea Pace
Spring/Summer 2003

Andrea Pace is from Bountiful, Utah. Her honors thesis is on the textile patterns of mummies found in Fayum, Egypt. She is looking for correlations between textile pattern and gender, depth of burial, age, and other variables. Her advisor Dr. Evans is involved in mummy digs and introduced her to this thesis topic. Andrea says that ?working on my thesis has given me a better understanding of how to conduct research.? One of Andrea?s best undergraduate experiences was in a bioethics class where she enjoyed ?discussing ethical issues and realizing there may not be one, clear right answer with some issues.? She also enjoyed her evolutionary science class where they discussed various fields of science. She has enjoyed the Honors Program because it has given her a broader view of the arts, music and intellectual subjects. Andrea has been married for a year and enjoys ?running, soccer, snow-skiing, waterskiing, mountain biking and doing adventurous things.? After graduation, she will be headed to law school.

Christopher Palmer
Winter 2008

Christopher, an Economics major, grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts. While serving his mission in Armenia, Christopher was struck by the high rate of unemployment in Armenia, despite being an educated population. When he returned to BYU, Christopher decided to investigate whether the receipt of a college degree improves the likelihood that an Armenian citizen is employed and increases his/her income, as well as how the effectiveness of higher education changed after the fall of the Soviet Union. Christopher traveled back to Armenia in the spring of 2007 to gather data for his ORCA grant and honors thesis. Now Christopher is looking forward to attending a graduate program in Economics. Christopher is also the President of the Economics Student Association, a Teaching Assistant for Econ 588, and a Research Assistant for Dr. Sims. Christopher believes that he would not be able to accomplish his goals without the support of his wife Megan.

Courtney Lyn Jensen Peacock
Fall 2004

Courtney was born in Orange, California, and she grew up in Irvine, California. She is a History major with a minor in Art History, and she has an interest in how art can enhance historical studies. She had the opportunity to participate in the BYU Art History Study Abroad Program during Spring term of 2003, where she was able to visit important architectural sites/museums and examine English prints. She claims that this study abroad experience is where she fell in love with art history, and she also met her husband. For her honors thesis research, Courtney is researching the the appearance of the Tetragrammaton in English prints from the sixteenth century, with a focus on how this symbol was used in Protestant propaganda. She said, ?My thesis research has given me an opportunity to become familiar with methods and institutions that I will be using in my graduate studies.? She will be presenting her research in January at the BYU Art History Symposium, ?Holy Women.? Courtney is planning to pursue a Master?s degree in Art History at BYU beginning Fall 2005.

Byron Peacock
Winter 2007

Byron, from Orem, Utah, is a senior majoring in Political Science with a double minor in Philosophy and International Development. Byron has been conducting research in Frankfurt and Cologne, Germany as well as in Torino, Italy at the XX Winter Olympic Games. He is investigating the international development work that the German Olympic Committee has been conducting in relation to sports. After attending a graduate program in International Relations, Byron anticipates working in the public and/or nonprofit sectors on matters of ?human security,? including economic development, respect for human rights, democratization, improved healthcare, etc. He is particularly interested in the utilization of cultural products, such as sport, in aiding economic development, democratization, and respect for human rights. Byron has presented his research in South Africa, Italy, and Canada. Portions of his research findings were also published in "Cultural Imperialism in Action---Critiques of the Global Olympic Trust: Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium for Olympic Research" under the title ?Avoiding Olympic Imperialism: Shedding Trickle-Down Olymponomics in Favor of ?All Sports for All People.??

Jared Keven Pearson
Spring/Summer 2005

Jared, a senior majoring in Japanese, is from Salt Lake City, Utah. His favorite course at BYU has been Chemistry 105 with Dr. Wood. Jared reports Dr. Wood impressively took the time to learn all of their names and something about them. Additionally, Dr. Wood made learning enjoyable as he motivated his students and gave them the confidence to succeed in chemistry. Jared attributes his foundation of chemistry to Dr. Wood, and Jared has continued to use that knowledge even in his upper-division courses. In December of 2003, Jared began volunteering as a research assistant for Dr. David Busath. After he successfully completed some calibration experiments and a project on poly-glutamine ion channels, he became interested in the lab?s project and decided to use a portion of it for his honors thesis research. For his thesis, Jared measured the ammonium conductance properties of the M2 protein, which is critical to the replication stage of the Influenze A Virus. His research contributed to a better understanding of M2 protein activation and ion transport, which will hopefully lead to the discovery of effective M2 inhibition and consequently the inhibition of Influenza replication. Jared presented his research at the Biophysical Society annual conference in Long Beach, California last February. Although Jared is unsure if he will continue researching, he said his research played a critical role in his medical school application interviews. Jared commented, ?At each of my four interviews, the interviewers asked in-depth questions about my research and the mentored experience I was having.? Furthermore, Jared believes the skills and knowledge he has gained will help him as he becomes a physician.

Benjamin Peters
Winter 2003

Benjamin Peters is from Iowa City, Iowa. Research for his honors thesis is ?On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations,? with the focus on Ukrainian legislation on religious tolerance and its public in transition. Ben loves the Slavic world and is interested in religious freedom issues and politics. He was convinced by an article Professor W. Cole Durham, Jr. wrote that it was possible to combine these interests into an honors thesis. In choosing his topic Ben sought counsel from Professors Durham of the Law school, Don Jarvis of the Russian department, and Howard Biddulph, who was formerly in the Political Science department. Ben?s thesis project entails some intriguing issues which he feels will give him strong background experience for his future occupation. Ben is planning to become either a Foreign Service officer in public diplomacy, a professor of Slavic studies, or an international lawyer. ?Most importantly,? Ben says, ?this project will make good stories when I achieve my ultimate plan and become a wise, silly grandfather.? Ben claims that his most rewarding undergraduate experience is ?meeting, courting, and being married to his wife, Kourtney Lambert,? who is another Robert K. Thomas Scholarship recipient this semester.

Kourtney Lambert Peters
Winter 2003

Kourtney Lambert Peters grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Kourtney is pursuing her education in the field of mathematics. Her interest in math started in Math 190 ?Fundamentals of Mathematics.? This class focused on the mathematical logic of proof. She claims that this area of math is ?truly an art form? and ?the purest logic there is.? In this class Kourtney spent a lot of time thinking about proving mathematical statements. She now is fascinated with the field of mathematics. Kourtney?s honor?s thesis is entitled ?Learning Probability through Solving Problems.? Her main goal in her thesis is to ?investigate how people can turn their intuitions about probability into useful insights for solving probability-based problems.? She chose this thesis because she wants to improve methods of teaching mathematics. She feels that her research in this thesis will give her insight into the way a math student?s mind works, and this is the key to teaching more effectively. As a future mathematician and teacher, she endeavors to be ?a crafter of ideas, rather than a manipulator of functions.?

David Peterson
Fall 2008

David is from Buffalo Grove, Illinois. He is passionate about seeing people enjoy learning, so his honors thesis relates to his experience creating Quandary a game designed to inspire creative thought. David's game can be modified for use in situations as diverse as physics, English, or moral values. David believes that games, when correctly created and implemented, are a great way to engage students of all ages. Although David is graduating in Physics Teaching, he is not certain that teaching physics is in his long-term plans. Ultimately, he wants to help students and teachers create better learning environments. David is passionate not only about learning, but just about everything else. He volunteers at the food bank, plays intramural soccer, and eats only healthy foods (no added sugar or fried foods). David also penned two books this summer one is a children's book called 10 Days Until Forever and the other is an inspirational volume called 52 Weeks.

Robert Plowman
Winter 2008

Robert (Scooter) grew up in Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. For his honors thesis, he is researching the growth and history of the LDS Church in a suburban city of S?o Paulo, Brazil called Ribeir?o Preto. Scooter and his mentor interviewed about 140 of the oldest church members to record their stories for their families and Church Archives. Although his topic has nothing to do with any of his 3 majors (Neuroscience, Latin American Studies, and Geography), his thesis topic allowed him to stay connected to his mission homeland of Brazil. However, his passion lies in the neurosciences; anything relating to the brain and its physiology and function intrigues him, and he plans on pursuing an MD/PhD in Neuroscience focusing on interventional neuroimaging. Scooter has much to be proud of, but his greatest joy is his sweet wife Jessica.

Jason Primavera
Spring/Summer 2007

Jason, a senior majoring in Bioinformatics, was born in California and raised in Provo, Utah. He is researching the molecular evolution of the enamel forming protein amelogenin for his honors thesis.? In conjunction with this research, he is studying the effects of tree topology on z-score results from TreeSAAP analysis. Jason?s fascination with the formation of enamel stems from his ambitions of attending dental school. He plans to use the knowledge from his honors thesis as a base for further amelogenin?research. One ambitious but fun goal Jason has is to travel to a different country at least once a year. Two years ago, he spent the summer in Indonesia. This past summer, he went to the Galapagos on a dental externship, and this year Jason is traveling to Nova Scotia for an evolution conference.

Elliott Richards
Fall 2007

Elliott Richards is from Houston, TX. Elliott is studying the genetics behind cleft lip/palate, a common birth defect with a poorly understood etiology. Under his mentor, Dr. Edward Wilcox, Elliott and his team members are looking for new genetic locations involved in cleft formation. He would like to pursue a career in clinical genetics, possibly in the not-so-distant-future field of translational research in personalized medicine and gene therapy. Elliott knew that he wanted to have a career in the sciences as early as second grade, but by high school he was completely ?turned off to science.? When his honors advisor suggested that he take the Honors colloquium course in the sciences, Elliott approached science from an interdisciplinary perspective. This holistic, top-down, "big picture" approach made science relevant and thrilling to him again. Ironically, the class that was supposed to be the last science class he would ever take became the turning point for him choosing a science major and career.

Roy Richter
Spring/Summer 2006

Roy is a Philosophy major from Kingwood, Texas. Instead of the traditional research thesis, Roy chose to write a novel for his honors thesis. He has always wanted to write a novel and encouragement from professors helped him to make the most of this opportunity. Novel writing fits in well with Roy?s interests. He has ?always had a passion for literature. It can have an impact on people and change them in a way that can only be matched by actual life experience.? Roy feels that honing writing skills is one of the most important things students can do in their university education. He notes how his writing will be essential in his future education and career. His courses have had a huge influence on his career decision. From his experiences in classes on bioethics and advanced writing Roy knew that he wanted a career in health law and to continue his study of philosophy. So after graduation Roy plans to attend law school in a joint program to obtain a J.D. as well as M.A. in Philosophy.

Deanna Roark
Fall 2008

Deanna is proud to claim Harrogate, Tennessee the most pure place in America as her home. Deanna chose her honors thesis topic while she was volunteering in a rural Catholic school for impoverished children in Mexico. During that time, she met a girl named Maria whose father lived and worked in the United States. This meeting turned her world upside down. Deanna had never considered that the masses of immigrants were people like her, with families. During Winter 2007 and Summer 2008, Deanna recorded interviews with families in rural Mexico who have relatives (sons, husbands, fathers, uncles, nephews, brothers) who live and work in the United States. Deanna is using the interviews and field notes from Santa Rosa, Mexico to examine the lives of families of immigrants to gain a better understanding of immigrants experiences. After she graduates, Deanna hopes to participate in Teach For America and eventually attend law school to study immigration law.

Jeff Robbins
Fall 2009

Jeff is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His Honors Thesis examines one of the most unique refugee migrations in world history: the fleeing of wealthy loyalists from the colonies during the American Revolution. As a historian Jeff has always been interested in those who oppose the majority. Consequently in his thesis Jeff follows Benjamin Thompson, who both fits and deviates from the standard definition of a "traditional Loyalist." Some of his best undergraduate experiences include visiting Dartmouth College to obtain vital documents for his research and working closely with BYU professors. Jeff believes that being able to research, organize and execute lengthy works of history is the backbone of any good historian, and eventually will distinguish amidst other graduate school applicants. Jeff is also an American Heritage TA and the proud father of a six-month-old son.

Alexander Romney
Spring/Summer 2007

Alex, a History major, hails from Spokane, Washington. His minor in psychology led him to the topic of his honors thesis which is the relationship between psychological employment contract fulfillment and team performance. He is interested in seeing how employee perceptions of the employment exchange affect their interactions and performance in work teams. Alex found his topic while working as a research assistant in Organizational Behavior. Alex believes that the theoretical and methodological training he has received while putting together his honors thesis has provided a foundation for pursuing a PhD in Organizational Behavior. His favorite undergraduate experience at BYU was taking Honors Behavioral Science (223r) with Dr. Hal Gregersen, because not only was the content enlightening, but he also learned to think like a scholar instead of a student, accepting responsibility for his own learning.

Jos? Augusto Roque
Fall 2004

Jos?, a Political Science major, is from Curitiba, Brazil. In Dr. Nielson?s political science class, he learned that electoral rules can shape democracies. From the class, he became interested in his honors thesis topic where he is researching ?Latin American scholars? theory that party weakness leads to political corruption.? While working on his honors thesis, he also had the opportunity to conduct field research in Brazil last year and interview more than fifty senators and congressman. His thesis thus far argues that stronger political parties do not necessarily lead to less corruption. However, he believes that the electorate group can shape political behavior away from corruption and the single-member district plurality system can reduce political corruption in Latin America. Jos? said, ?I plan to use the knowledge I gain from this project to influence Brazilian politics.? To that end, he desires to learn the effective tools needed to help serve his people when he returns to Brazil.

Shauntelle Rowberry-Pallett
Winter 2004

Shauntelle is an English Teaching major from Aurora, Colorado, but her family has lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for the past eight years. Her favorite undergraduate course has been her Honors History of Civilizations Class, ?The Pen and the Sword,? where she truly discovered how much she loves to learn. She said, ?That class really set the standard for the rest of college and life.? In 1999, she went to India and was ?moved by the compassion, love, and courage that these new members displayed and [she] knew that [she] had to come back and write them down.? For her honors capstone project, she is collecting conversion stories from LDS converts in Southern India. Unfortunately, while she was collecting these stories, she food poisoned herself and ended up throwing up multiple times in the Taj Mahal. She jokingly commented, ?I figured if you want to make a splash in a country, you should really desecrate their national monument.? She feels that her capstone project will help her with her future plans including pursuing a Master in Social Anthropology and touring the world collecting stories of faith from numerous cultures. She is also interested in designing a high school curriculum that would record personal stories from around the world to help students have a greater awareness of the world around them.

Arisa Sanchez
Fall 2009

Arisa, a Denver native, is comparing literacy instruction materials used in elementary schools in New Zealand and Utah for her Honors Thesis. Since New Zealand is known worldwide for its excellent literacy instruction, Arisa took advantage of a study abroad opportunity to research their teaching methods and materials. She anticipates that she will continue to reap the benefits of this research well into her own professional development. Arisa plans to start her teaching career after her December graduation. Although she will miss attending the Thursday morning Honors Seminars, Arisa knows that her deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of literacy instruction will help her be a better teacher.

Tamara Sanford
Fall 2008

Tamara is from Glendale, Arizona. She is researching how western media have constructed the identities of the different sides in the Darfur crisis and how this is affecting media consumers views on the crisis. Tamara first became interested in her honors thesis topic when she took Comms 382 Issues in International Communication with Professor Wakefield. In the class she was assigned to make a presentation about how the media was treating the Darfur crisis. She narrowed her topic when she participated in the Summer Honors at Cambridge program. Eventually, she would like to become a foreign correspondent as she is pursuing a minor in International Development in addition to her major in Broadcast Journalism. Tamara is also an elite figure skater and has been skating since she was five years old.

Jason Scoffield
Winter 2003

Jason Scoffield, a philosophy major, is from Hooper, Utah. He enjoys his philosophy classes immensely and feels that selecting philosophy as his major was the best thing he has done with his education. In the spring of 2002 Jason published an article in The Reed (St. Olaf College Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy) entitled, ?Finding Self Determination through the Determined Self.? Also in the fall of 2002 he published an article in the BYU Honors journal, Insight, entitled ?Empathy, Truth and Authentic Disclosure.? For his honors thesis, Jason is researching the later writings of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Heidegger?s philosophy is that ?the mode of thinking which drives modern technology is quickly eradicating our ability to live meaningful lives.? Heidegger believes this can only be cured by ?recapturing the ability to disclose the world and other individuals as more than simply resources to be used in the pursuit of our own self-interest.? Jason?s thesis will clarify Heidegger?s feelings on the issue and present his own solutions to the problem. Jason wants to get a legal education and practice law. He eventually wants to teach international law. He claims that his thesis has given him the research and writing skills which he will need in the future as well as some valuable personal insights.

Emily Sears
Spring/Summer 2006

Emily is a nursing student from Provo, Utah. She is putting her health knowledge to use in her honors thesis. Her project compared the growth rates of premature infants in Ghana to the same rates in the United States. She was led to this topic by in her interest in humanitarian organizations that concentrate on providing health care services. The situation in developing areas, particularly Africa, has especially captured her attention. Emily plans to obtain her Master?s Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner and then go on to get a Ph.D. for research and teaching. She wants to be part of the effort to improve health care and education in developing countries. Besides her time focused on health care, Emily has filled her undergraduate years with various interests such as longboarding, space heaters, and study abroad. Memories of her time spent in England and Russia are very important to her. ?Reading Wordsworth in the drizzly, misty hills of the Lake District and basking in the radiant hum of an entire orchestra of balalaikas after having vodka spilled on me by a drunk man in a marshrutka are some of the things that have influenced my life in deep and expansive ways.?

Jenna Elaine Serr
Fall 2004

Jenna is a nursing major, and is from West Jordan, Utah. She joined the Honors Program as a freshman, but was discouraged by nursing faculty when trying to complete the honors requirements and nursing program. However, a couple of years ago Jenna began working for Undergraduate Education where she has given tremendous help in the prestigious scholarships office. While employed there, Jenna was encouraged, advised, and convinced of the value added to her education by finishing the Honors Program. Jenna is currently working with Dr. Barbara Mandleco on an interdisciplinary project that focuses on families raising children with disabilities. Her thesis topic is, ?Differences between Caregiver Burden and Depression in Parents Caring for a Child with Down Syndrome or Autism.? She is analyzing reports from families raising a child with a disability to see whether or not parents perceive their child with Down syndrome or Autism as more of a ?burden? when they are depressed. As an undergraduate, she has enjoyed taking classes through the Honors Program, participating in Freshman Academy, working for Carolyn Tuitupou, and participating in the nursing program. After graduating in April, she plans to work as an R.N. for one year in either the intensive care unit (ICU) or pediatrics. Then, Jenna hopes to pursue a Master?s degree to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Lindsay Leininger Sevy
Winter 2004

Lindsay, a major in International Politics with a minor in Japanese, is from South Ogden, Utah. She is writing a personal narrative for her honors thesis from a collection of interviews with her mother that focus on why she decided to give up being a medical doctor to become a mother and how her life?s decisions have influenced Lindsay?s. Referring to her thesis, she said that it ?has taught [her] a great deal about family history and the importance of writing down experiences that influence generations.? Lindsay said that her favorite undergraduate experience was the semester she spent at the Jerusalem Center because she ?learned more about life and about [herself] during the few months of conflict?than [she] did in several years of classroom learning.? Lindsay plans to graduate in April, then move to Nanjing, China in September. While they are living in China, her husband will begin a master?s program and she will be teaching English.

Farina Smith King
Fall 2007

Farina is a native of Kensington, Maryland. For her honors thesis, she is comparing intermarriages between French tradesmen and Senegalese metisse women called ?signares? with intermarriages between French traders and Native American women in the eighteenth century. Her Navajo heritage and study abroad to Senegal helped her become fascinated by the similarities between the signares and the Native American women in the Great Lakes region. These local women, often metisse (of a mixed background from European and indigenous descent), from both Senegal and North America became bridges between cultures and a key to the French traders? survival in the foreign lands. Farina plans to continue her research as she progresses toward becoming a history professor specializing in Native American and West African histories. During her time at BYU, Farina earned the title of Miss Indian BYU in March 2006, completed 3 studies abroad, and participated in local elementary school presentations.

Stacey Jean Snider
Fall 2003

Stacey is from Bellingham, Washington, and she is a senior majoring in English. She served a mission in Slovenia and there she discovered many World War II stories that had never been documented. For her honors thesis, she is making a documentary film script about the experiences of young Slovene men who served as conscripts in Hitler?s army during WWII. She stated that this project has definitely been her best undergraduate experience because it has allowed her to use her education to do independent research in a foreign country. In reference to her honors thesis, Stacey said, ?It has taught me a new compassion, as I?ve grown close to these veterans who have been overlooked by the international community?and compassion is an important quality in any field!? In the future, Stacey plans to pursue a graduate degree in film and to work as a professor and screenwriter.

Richard Fairbanks Snow
Winter 2004

Rick is from St. George, Utah, and he is majoring in Economics with a minor in Korean. He is currently working under Dr. Kerk Phillips conducting research for his honors thesis. Rick?s thesis topic combines both his major and minor; he is using ?Korean census records to conduct a statistical estimation of the amount of geographic mobility in 18th-century Korea.? He emphasized what a profound impact his research has had on his own life when he said, ?Contributing to knowledge in a discipline while simultaneously enhancing my own understanding and awareness is both challenging and exciting, and I feel that the research process will benefit the rest of my life.? After finishing his honors thesis, Rick plans to get it published in a peer-reviewed journal, or as part of a book.

Neal Spackman
Fall 2006

Neal hails from Rochester, Minnesota. He is a Middle East Studies/Arabic major with a minor in Economics. Looking for a challenging honors thesis that would improve his language skills, he decided to translate Arabic short stories written by Zakariya Tamer. Try as he might, Neal could not choose just one experience as a highlight of his time at BYU. He has had many favorite classes and great (and not so great) experiences on study abroad. He loved international cinema as well as living in the Foreign Language Residence. He enjoyed BYU?s dating life, and now enjoys married life. After graduation, Neal and his wife will head to D.C. where he will work as a foreign media analyst. Eventually, he hopes to be stationed in Jordan, London, or Vienna

Nathan Steiger
Fall 2009

Nathan was born in Logan, Utah but is most recently from San Antonio and El Paso, Texas. Nathan is researching the fundamental limits within quantum mechanics theory. His thesis research focuses on the many uncertainty relations with standard quantum theory and their relation to measurement theory and quantum information. He recently returned from Cambridge University where he had the opportunity to research how to connect uncertainty to quantum information. Quantum information is a new area of research in physics that seeks to create computers and new computational processes based upon the principles of quantum mechanics. Such computers could produce unbreakable codes and perform computations at speeds that are currently impossible. Nathan believes his thesis research is the capstone of his undergraduate education and will be the cornerstone of his graduate education. He plans to attend graduate school in physics and ultimately hopes to positively impact his field as a capable researcher, collaborator, and leader.

Tyler Stoehr
Winter 2007

A double major in Philosophy and Music with a minor in French, Tyler Stoehr hails from Arvada, Colorado. The title of his honors thesis is Aristotle?s Vision of God: Moving Beyond the Unmoved Mover. In the thesis he argues that Aristotle?s understanding of God was much more robust than the commonly promulgated theory of an ?unmoved mover? who is responsible for the motion in the universe. There seems to be much more behind Aristotle?s vision of God than what is normally attributed to him, which is what he hopes to point out and explore in the thesis. Tyler plans to pursue a doctorate in philosophy with an emphasis in Aristotle and Classics. He hopes to use his thesis as a starting point for a doctoral dissertation on religion in Ancient Greece, where he wants to explore the reasons for the split between popular and philosophical religion. As an undergraduate he has published several articles. On a more personal note, he has been happily married to the former Hannah Stum for four years, and they are the proud parents of a two-year old son, Samuel, and a brand new daughter, Jocelyn (born December 27, 2006). Besides reading, his hobbies include video editing, golf, the occasional video game, and cooking. In fact, during his year abroad in Paris, he seriously considered dropping out of the Sorbonne (where he was studying Greek and Latin) in order to attend culinary school. He ultimately decided against that route but is still very passionate about food and loves to cook.

Michael M Strayer
Fall 2004

Michael was born and raised in Placerville, California, and is double majoring in Psychology and Spanish. His best undergraduate experience so far was studying abroad (Fall 2002) and experiencing Spanish history in Madrid first-hand, and while there studying at the Foundation of Garcia Lorca and the Spanish National Library. It was during this study abroad trip that Michael decided to add Spanish as a second major. His honors thesis, entitled, ?A Psychoanalytical Examination of Selected Poetry by Frederico Garcia Lorca,? is based on a term paper he wrote for Dr. Gregory Stallings? Spanish 441 class. Michael said, ?Professor Stallings made some interesting connections between Freudian thought and the Spanish group of writers known as the ?Generation of ?27? that drew from both of my majors.? In Michael?s thesis, he analyzes how psychoanalysis influenced much of Lorca?s writings and interprets Lorca?s poetry using elements of psychoanalysis.

Daniel C. Swinton
Fall 2002

Daniel Swinton is from Salt Lake City, Utah, and his honors thesis is entitled The Implications of Title IX Legislation on Women?s Athletics at Brigham Young University. Daniel?s best undergraduate experience has been the opportunity to work closely with two history professors, Brian Q. Cannon and Richard I. Kimball, in conducting his thesis research. He says of the student-mentor relationship he established with them: ?I will be forever grateful for their kindness and aid; they have lifted me higher by their examples and love of learning. They have greatly bettered my writing and research abilities, and I feel we have developed a friendship.? In his thesis, Daniel examines the compliance process and the results of legislation on women?s athletics at BYU. A history major focusing on American social history in the 19th and 20th centuries, Daniel chose to research Title IX to combine his interests in his major and in sports. Daniel plans to attend law school in the fall of 2003, where his research experience will be invaluable as intense research and writing are an integral part of a law student?s success. His thesis research has also prepared him for his plan of going into academics as a teacher and an administrator.

Doug Thomas
Fall 2007

Doug is from Provo, Utah?and is creating an installation to draw attention to the issues regarding information consumption and censorship in the 21st century?especially as it relates to the issue of globalization. To conceptually illustrate the idea, he will hang 100 panels of tabloid size sheets, representing news sources, from the ceiling. The three-dimensionality of the installation will clarify the possible ways to view censorship and the free-flow of information and will provoke deep thought from the viewers. Doug chose this topic after the 2000 election, when he realized that the way information is represented (such as the butterfly ballot) makes a difference in the way people make decisions. His capstone is helping to bridge his work as a designer and create graduate school possibilities where he hopes to pursue interdisciplinary research and create other similar installations in the future. Additionally, the experience creating such a large project on a deadline will be useful to show potential employers the breadth of his experience.

Ryan Tobler
Fall 2008

Ryan calls himself a local boy and claims Mapleton, Utah as home. His honors thesis research explores British and American Men of Letters and religion in the 19th century. He is investigating the religious convictions and influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Carlyle, who were friends and leading figures on both sides of the Atlantic who were in search for a religion that was more fulfilling and spiritually potent than the dogmatic Christianity of the day. Ryan became interested in his topic through several undergraduate experiences, including his literary history courses, a growing interest in intellectual history, and the encouragement of Dr. Paul Kerry. Ryan even accompanied Dr. Kerry to New England in search of Emerson manuscripts, which proved to be one of the most exhilarating, motivating experiences he has ever had and confirmed his desire to become an educator.

Jordan Toone
Winter 2004

Jordan is double majoring in Near Eastern Studies and Linguistics. He grew up in American Fork, Utah, and he comes from a family of ten people with three brothers and four sisters. Although he is 6?3?, everyone in his family except his mother and little sister are as tall, or taller than he is. Jordan served a mission for the Church in London, England. During his first semester at BYU, he took an Ancient and Modern Middle East course from Dr. Marilyn Walker, a visiting professor. He said, she ?triggered in me a deep appreciation of the Middle East scholarship. She was absolutely amazing. She challenged me, changed my thinking, and inspired me to delve a little deeper than I was used to. She was brilliant, and I have benefited greatly from that experience.? Another inspirational professor was Jordan?s senior seminar professor, Dr. Arnold Green, who has spent many years personally collecting and translating documents in and around Jerusalem. Fascinated with the work Dr. Green was doing, Jordan began assisting him. For his honors thesis, Jordan is conducting ?a socioeconomic case study of a 17th century Muslim family using Islamic Court documents.? He feels that his research has given him an excellent introduction to translation and Islamic legal practices, which will help him attain his personal and professional goals of contributing to the peace process and diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Arab Countries.

Sevak Tsaturyan
Fall 2006

Sevak grew up in a little town in the Republic of Armenia. He is majoring in International Studies with a minor in Western American Studies. His life in a developing country has had a great impact on his education and his future plans. He chose to focus his research on political corruption and what effect it has on growing economies. Unfortunately, the results seem to show that corruption doesn?t deter investors; they just make adjustments for it. Still, his honors research helped to ignite Sevak?s passion to fight against corruption. Whether his graduate school includes a law degree and MBA or both, Jonathan will use his knowledge to influence developing economies and work towards improving the ethics in their business and political worlds. Sevak stated that meeting and marrying his wife was his best undergraduate experience. He also felt it important to add that those who think themselves ?average? are selling themselves short. He knows that everyone has the power to achieve great things in life, regardless of background or natural talents. Sevak wants students to know that an Armenian kid who picked mushrooms for a living worked to make it through BYU and aims for higher education and the chance to make a difference. So can you.

Ty Wayne Turley
Winter 2005

Ty is from Mesa, Arizona, and he is double majoring in Economics and Russian with minors in Art and Media Arts. He feels that all of his undergraduate experience has helped him to become a better person. However, he particularly enjoyed being able to act for his first time in a BYU production. He commented on his experience, ?I enjoyed knowing myself better through the process of trying to be someone else.? Ty loves the filmmaker, Andrei Tarkovsky?s films, and his ability to communicate an independent spirit. He is also fascinated with artists? use of allusion to create and define meaning and cultural identity. Because of this, he has chosen to conduct his honors thesis research on how Andrei Tarkovsky used hidden citations from Dostoevsky and other allusions to art and music. Tarkovsky did this to add the meaning he desired even though he lived in an environment of censorship because of Soviet interference. Ty is currently applying for a Ph.D. program in Comparative Literature, and he hopes to continue his honors thesis research in such a program. He claims, ?There are more allusions in Tarkovsky?s films than I am able to recognize yet, let alone study.?

Jennifer Uharriet
Spring/Summer 2006

Jenny hails from Provo, Utah. Her interests vary widely as is evidenced by her double major of Dance and International Studies and well as a minor in African Studies. Her honors thesis is a combination of these areas as she studied stepping, a dance that developed in African American fraternities. Jenny sees dance as a reflection of culture and an excellent way to celebrate and preserve that culture. After graduation she plans to begin graduate work in public administration. Jenny?s end goal is a career in local and international community development. She wants to focus on cultural identity. One of her plans is a community culture center for teaching dance, showcasing art and hosting festivities to promote the understanding and appreciation for other cultures. Jenny is very grateful for her time at BYU. She especially enjoyed teaching English in China, volunteering at MAMA in Guadalajara, and sharing folk dances in the community.

Jonathan William Wade
Fall 2002

For his honors thesis research, Jonathan William Wade will examine the Christian imagery found in the Quixote and analyze the evolution of Quixote as a Christ figure during the past four centuries. His thesis title is Don Quixote or Jesus Christ: A Historical Perspective of Don Quixote as a Christ Figure. Jonathan is from Lodi, California, and will enter the Spanish masters program at BYU following his graduation in August 2003. He also plans to earn a doctorate degree and become a university professor. Jonathan?s best overall experience was his enrollment in Spanish 439R with Dr. Dale Pratt, where he was able to participate in the staging of a Spanish Golden Age play, La dama duende, by Calder?n de la Barca. Through his participation, he had the opportunity to publish an original paper included in the play?s program guide and to represent BYU at a Golden Age Theatre festival and conference. The class played a significant role in defining his career path.

Andrew Walker
Fall 2009

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Andrew is investigating the effect of business students' ethical development from the business classes and business education they take. As a double major in both Economics and Business, Andrew cannot help but find the business world intriguing. His Honors Thesis research is actually the continuation of a study that the Marriot School of Management has been working on for over three years. The report and publication of Andrew's research will help the Marriot School of Management retain its accreditation. Andrew knows that ethical fortitude is necessary to survive and thrive in business. By best learning how this ethical fortitude is taught and learned, he hopes to be a better worker, manager and community leader, and use his research as a springboard into graduate school. Andrew has greatly enjoyed his time at BYU - some of his best experiences include touring with BYU Singers and starting a nonprofit organization to help students become politically engaged in the Provo Community.

Philip Webb
Winter 2006

Philip is from Holladay, Utah and has made his time at BYU one of international interest. An English major, Philip focused his honors thesis work in Germany. His thesis is entitled ?Slaughterhouse-Five and the Bombing of Dresden: Reconciling Fiction with Non-Fiction.? He spent hours upon hours sifting through archived material to find the lines between truth and fiction in Kurt Vonnegut?s best-seller. Although he enjoys literature, Philip realized that his interests are more with people than books. His work with charities and research foundations--including summers spent in Africa, Brazil, and Mexico--has led him to pursue a graduate degree in Nonprofit Administration. Philip feels his employment at the Religious Studies Center has been a big factor in forming his undergraduate education. However, he still states that falling in love with his wife and, of course, his D+ in Accounting have been instrumental in making him who he is today.

Sam Weeks
Spring/Summer 2008

Sam is from Ogden, Utah. For his honors thesis, Sam studied peasant revolts, specifically examining the anti-communist revolts in Romania during the 1940s and 1950s. To complete his research, Sam traveled to Romania to do some archival research in Bucharest and then chose as his case study the revolt that occurred in Rachitele, a small mountain village in Transylvania. Sam?s interest in peasant revolts developed while he was working with Professor Anca Sprenger. She suggested that he research something on the early years of communism in the villages. Sam was intrigued by anti-communist revolts and decided to use revolts as his honors thesis topic. While conducting research for his honors thesis in Romania, he lived in a tiny mountain village for a month where the next closest American was over fifty miles away. After graduating from BYU, Sam plans to attend law school to study international law.

Paul Wells
Winter 2009

Paul hails from Springville, Utah where he is the oldest of seven children. For his honors thesis Paul is studying the viola archives of St. Petersburg and comparing them with the BYU Primrose International Viola Archive which happens to be the world's premier international viola archive. Paul chose this topic in order to combine what he believes are his two specialties: music and Russian. Paul has participated in numerous BYU musical ensembles, including the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Men's Chorus. He has also participated in lesser known groups such as the Steel Drum Ensemble, Panoramic Steel, The BYU Mariachi Band, and Bintang Wahu - a new Indonesian gamelan ensemble. After graduation Paul hopes to teach orchestra and Russian in a high school setting while simultaneously working towards a graduate degree and a possible university professorship

Jeremiah West
Winter 2008

Jeremiah is from Provo, Utah?and is researching the ability of the newly synthesized aza-crown resorcinarene and aza-crown undecyl compounds to selectively transport anions across bulk liquid membranes. Bulk liquid membranes are a way to test the usefulness of macrocyclic ligands that are used to remove toxic and radioactive waste. He discovered a love for chemistry as he progressed in his Exercise Science major and worked as a T.A. for Organic Chemistry. Jeremiah plans to attend medical school after graduating from BYU. He is optimistic that his honors thesis research will be helpful in the medical school application process as certain schools require or strongly recommend that students be involved in research. When Jeremiah is not studying, researching, or working as a teaching assistant, he runs for the BYU cross country and track teams and volunteers at the emergency room. He has also interned for the Y-BE-FIT program.

John Andrew West
Fall 2002

John Andrew West is from Charlotte, North Carolina. A philosophy major, Andy is researching the role of the leap of faith in Kierkegaard?s religious philosophy. In his thesis, he is seeking to develop his own interpretation of the leap of faith. His interest in Kierkegaard stems from taking David Paulsen?s Kierkegaard class, where he became intrigued by the much talked about, yet little understood concept of the leap of faith in Kierkegaard?s philosophy. Andy feels that his research will help him personally by contributing to an understanding of religious belief and to his own relationship with God. Andy?s most memorable undergraduate experience was taking Hon P 203R, ?The Myths and Realities of Ranch Culture.? This enjoyable experience taught him practical skills involved in ranching, introduced him to an unexplored segment of American culture, and opened his eyes to a different way of life and a different way of seeing the world. Andy is the Editor of Aporia, BYU?s undergraduate philosophy journal, and plans to begin law school next fall.

Kara McCall Wheeler
Winter 2004

Kara is from Omaha, Nebraska, and she is majoring in Humanities with minors in Music, German, and International Development. For her honors thesis, she is ?collecting life histories of survivors of the Cambodian Khmer Rouge who currently reside in Northern Virginia and examining the role of music and dance in their survival.? Kara was called to serve as a Vietnamese-speaking missionary in the Northern Virginia area. On her mission, she met many people from Cambodia and was ?immediately drawn in by the difficult and courageous stories of their survival.? She said, ?One Cambodian refugee, Buna Prom, told me that he never would have survived this Cambodian holocaust without music. I wanted to know why.? As an undergraduate, Kara enjoyed many wonderful experiences including a study abroad program in Zimbabwe. However, she liked living in the BYU foreign housing the most??I cherished the diverse atmosphere there so much that I lived there three years, hopping from the German house to the Spanish house?until I met my best friend Jason in the French house and he whisked me away to the bliss of Wyview married student housing.? Kara feels that her thesis research will help her with her future plans and give her a better understanding of the histories of refugees coming to the United States. After she graduates in April, Kara plans to pursue a Master?s degree at BYU and earn her certification in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

Justin White
Spring/Summer2008

Justin, a native of Provo, Utah, is majoring in Philosophy. For his honors thesis, Justin examines several relatively contemporary theories and examples of scriptural interpretation.? Starting with Emmanuel L?vinas and then moving to Paul Ricoeur, he explores how these prominent philosophers, both devoutly religious, approach the topic of scriptural interpretation.?Justin says, ?Although?thinking about reading scriptures is surely a poor substitute for reading the scriptures, carefully thinking about approaches to reading scriptures may help unlock (or re-unlock) the power of the word of God.? This research project allows him to bring together many of his different interests including religion, philosophy, and literature. Through his research he hopes?to engage both LDS and non-LDS audiences. ?This fall, Justin will commence an MA in Comparative Studies. After he graduates from BYU, he plans to pursue a PhD in Philosophy or Comparative Literature.

Brady Williams
Winter 2009

Brady was born and raised in Vernal, Utah. He is conducting econometric analysis seeking to learn more ".about the effects of certain tax incentives on asset prices and firms' decisions related in investment in fixed assets." Even while his research is focused on economics, Brady's future interests are in accounting. After graduation, he plans to work in a public accounting firm, and then obtain a PhD. He feels his thesis has helped build his curiosity about future accounting research. In addition to Brady's economic research, he and his wife have recently welcomed their first baby boy.

Ian Wright
Winter 2009

Ian claims Allen, Texas as home. Ian chose his honors thesis topic while taking Economics 388. He decided that it would be beneficial to write a paper which would expose him to financial research. As he continued to take advanced econometrics classes, Ian chose to expand his research to examine the relationship between expected returns in the US stock market and political factors, such as the partisanship and tenure of US Presidents and Congress. Since Ian's future plans include graduate school and a PhD, he is grateful that his honors thesis gives him the opportunity to obtain valuable research experience while allowing him to learn how to develop an idea or project over an extended period of time. Ian's future goals are to work in the National Bureau of Economic Research, work as a professor in MIT or Harvard, establish his own economic consulting firm, serve in the Massachusetts and US Senate and thus fix the regrettable state of the US Electoral College so that popular vote is more accurately represented. He then hopes to return to BYU as a professor and use his experiences to help future students.

Andrew Zvirzdin
Winter 2007

Andrew, an International Relations major, hails from the small town of Ilion, New York. His current research explores the use of referendums in European Union politics. He selected this topic as he followed the recent debate in Europe over the EU Constitutional Treaty and the referendums in France and the Netherlands in the summer of 2004. While researching his thesis, the traveled throughout Europe, something he considers one of his best undergraduate experiences, as he discovered countries, cultures, and politics that broadened his education. He presented some of his research at a conference at Claremont College in April 2005. In summer 2005, he attended a special seminar at the University of Rome and participated in a study abroad at the Universit? Libre Bruxelles in Brussels. He has recently been selected to work in the European Parliament as an intern for the Green party, focusing on foreign affairs. He hopes to continue focusing on European affairs in graduate school and beyond. When Andrew is not exploring old libraries or Parliament buildings in Europe, he enjoys relaxing by hiking or skiing in the Adirondack or Wasatch Mountains.?

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