Honors Forum
2021-2022 Honors Capstone Projects
Richard Roslof, Computer Science
Mentor: Lonnie Heinke
Joy Edwards, Film
Mentor: Lauren Greathouse
Travis Hanes, English
Mentor: Dr. Charles Fischer
Rion Sakashita, Communication Studies
Mentor: Jo-Ann Sickles
Courtney-Jo Sauter, English
Mentor: Dr. Charles Fischer
Grace Setiawan, Mathematics
Mentor: Heidi Weiss-Green
2019-2020 Honors Capstone Projects
This is the eighth year students have graduated from the program. The pandemic brought a set of challenges that these remarkable students handled with tenacity and grace. EvCC began its honors program in Fall 2011 to provide advanced academic challenges to students and enable students to stand out when they transfer to 4-year schools. Honors graduates’ achievements are reflected on their transcripts. The program is supported in part by a donation from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Saul Cuddy
Saul’s capstone project in Music included the development of conducting and rehearsal techniques, honing his skills in music analysis and score preparation, expanding his knowledge of music theory and exploring and analyzing band literature.
Mentor: Richard Waldron
Andrew Devoe
Andrew’s English capstone was a twenty-five page research paper on Ernest Hemmingway. He examined the historical, literary, social, and political contexts of Hemmingway’s novels: In Our Time, The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Mentor: Dr. Charles Fischer
Madison Frederick
Madison researched and presented a lesson on key barbarian players who shaped the socio-political topography of Europe in the 4th-9th centuries. The central question of her research: “What happened to the “lost” 500 years between the decline of the Roman Empire and the rise of Charlemagne?” She created a PowerPoint presentation which was delivered in the History 111 class.
Mentor: Jason Ripper
Gweneth Henri
Gwen worked on an art project that required knowledge of both the principles of art and the principles of computer-aided design. She developed a project that required extensive understand of both art and mathematics.
Mentor: Sandra Lepper
Amanda Nelson
Amanda completed a correlational study and in-depth research project about the impacts of the stereotypes perpetuated by misinformation presented in the media about mental illness.
Mentor: Dr. Diane Brown
Gihyeon Roh
Gihyeon’s project was a guided independent study of Elementary Number Theory and the RSA cryptosystem (Public Key Crypgraphy). In addition, he wrote a computer program to encrypt and decrypt messages on RSA cipher.
Mentor Alys Hugo
Mare' Sieling
Mare’ created a visual representation of advanced tree data structures (editable and sortable) using Java as a programming language. This visual example will aid in students’ understanding and improve problem-solving when coding solutions.
Mentor: Lonnie Heinke
Michael Ugrin
Michael’s capstone project expanded his knowledge and understanding of building sustainable initiatives. He drafted a written stakeholder system map and created an online presentation. His goal is to promote living sustainably in the city of Everett.
Mentor: Spring Petta
Ryan Willis
Ryan’s project focused on the way police and other legal authorities interact with the public, how the characteristics of those interactions shape the public's views of the police, their willingness to obey the law, and actual crime rates. He completed both interviews with police officers and community as well as literature reviews to gain knowledge on public and law enforcement perspectives.
Mentor: John Stewart
2018-2019 Honors Program Capstone Projects
This is the seventh year students have graduated from the program. EvCC started its honors program in Fall 2011 to provide advanced academic challenges to students and enable students to stand out when they transfer to 4-year schools. Honors graduates’ achievements are reflected on their transcripts. The program is supported in part by a donation from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Karenna Blomberg
Karenna completed an extensive research paper on the impact of television on American culture. She will be attending Gonzaga University majoring in Journalism in the fall.
Mentor: Gina Colantino
Jennifer Franzen
Jennifer’s research paper examines Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of technology as it relates to the field of Artificial Intelligence. She is the recipient of the Martin Family Foundation award and will be attending the University of Washington in the fall. She plans to triple major in Philosophy, Germanic Studies and International Relations.
Mentor: Mike VanQuickenbourne
Boyan Hristov
Boyan is an international student from Bulgaria. His capstone work entails a research paper on cognitive psychology theory and the implementation of a neural network in the C++ programming language. He will be attending Seattle University majoring in Computer Science in the fall.
Mentor: Dr. Diane Brown
Isabelle John
Isabelle researched the history of heart transplant surgery in a 25 page research paper. She will be attending the University of California – Davis as a pre-med major in the fall.
Mentor: Dr. Charles Fischer
Tanja Labenski
Tanja is an international student from Germany. Her research centered around the problem-solving strategies used by elementary-aged children. She will be finishing her education at EvCC this fall before transferring.
Mentor: Debby Casson
Vinsensius
Vinsensius is an international student from Indonesia. His project entails a comprehensive exploration of the Klein Bottle. He developed mathematical proofs of major theories and used 3-D technology to complete a model of the Klein Bottle. He will attend University of Washington majoring in Aerospace Engineerin
Mentor: Dr. Karen Linton
Ashley Young
Ashley used her 160 hour clinical externship to keep a detailed journal and write an extensive reflection paper on both the EvCC Medical Assistant program and her clinical rotation.
Mentor: Amber Samaniego
2017-2018 Honors
Program Capstone Projects
This is the sixth year students have graduated from the program. EvCC started its honors program in Fall 2011 to provide advanced academic challenges to students and enable students to stand out when they transfer to 4-year schools. Honors graduates’ achievements are reflected on their transcripts. The program is supported in part by a donation from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Katherine Abdallah
Katherine's focus was on incorporating the Montessori method to individualize school for students. She chose to survey local schools and synthesize scholarly articles relating to school curriculum. The disciplines considered were psychology, education, political science, history and social science. Katherine plans to transfer to Western Washington University in the fall.
Mentor: Dr. Joyce Walker.
Kassi Blanchard
Kassi developed a health and wellness website for those suffering from chronic illness, depression, and anxiety, among other ailments. The website provides information tools, skills, and resources for remedies, prevention, and growth. Her first newsletter is aimed at encouraging college students who are facing these challenges. Kassi will be attending Western Washington University in the fall.
Mentor: Dr. Brett Kuwada
Zhongyi Dai
Zhongyi's project was to create a battery charger which could work with a variety of devices. He defined potential problems, research existing designs, and built a prototype of a wireless charger.
Mentor: Matthew Parsons-Fuentes
Inessa Grischenko
Inessa completed a 25-page research paper comparing the art and religion of ancient and modern Egypt. She identified the main religious figures and representative art work of both ancient and modern Egypt. Inessa is currently a student in the Washington State University-Everett Integrated Communication Program.
Mentor: Lori Wisdom-Whitley
Beth Ha
Beth has created five wheel-thrown and texturized ceramic prayer wheels exploring the five-element theory. Her interactive display allows participants to insert personal prayers into the containers and then gently rotate them. Each revolution of the wheel symbolizes the repetition of the prayer. Beth intends to graduate with a degree in studio art.
Mentor: Thom Lee
Natalie Salazar
Natalie designed a smartphone charger using a photodiode-based circuit. This circuit was designed, calibrated and tested to detect various frequencies of light and will convert this light energy to electrical energy that will then be used to charge a smartphone. Natalie will transfer to the University of Washington in the fall.
Mentor: Dr. Anusha Venkatachalam
Michael Sparacio
Michael developed a readership survey for "The Clipper." His data analysis and report will be presented to The Clipper editorial team and used for improving readership outreach. Michael plans to transfer to WSU-Everett and major in integrated communication in the fall.
Mentor: Andrew Wahl
Viliame Vuetibau
Viliame designed a diesel converter. his goal was to create a cost-effective fuel source for third world countries using recycled materials. Because there is a lack of reliable electricity in Fiji, Viliame wants to use an abundant commodity (coconut oil) and turn it into a fuel source (bio-diesel) that can be used to create affordable electricity in Fiji.
Mentor: Joe Graber
2016-
2017 Honors Program Capstone Projects
This is the fifth year students have graduated from the program. EvCC started its honors program in Fall 2011 to provide advanced academic challenges to students and enable students to stand out when they transfer to 4-year schools. Honors graduates’ achievements are reflected on their transcripts. The program is supported in part by a donation from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Mikayla Black
Mikayla combined two of her passions into a unique Capstone Project. She composed an original poem in French and set it to an original piano composition. She performed this original music piece for a group of faculty and was videotaped. Mikayla plans on transferring to Central Washington University to double major in music and French with the ultimate goal of teaching at an international school in Paris, France.
Mentor: Dr. Isabelle Miller
Patricia Douglas
Patricia’s Capstone project was the creation of an operating manual for a Community Kitchen at Everett Community College. Her manual documents the need for a community kitchen, includes a description and statement of purpose for the kitchen, recipes, costs, potential funding sources. Patricia plans to major in nutrition at Arizona State University, fall 2017
Mentor: Laura Wild
Melanie Fischer
Melanie made a short video focusing on the major stereotypes of Germany. She interviewed students and evaluated their responses. The interviews will be used in German classes to discuss ways we can avoid stereotyping. Melanie will attend Columbia University (New York), fall 2017
Mentor: Elke Dinter
Nevada Heintz
Nevada researched and analyzed the process of converting a current automotive part into a composite part. The Everett Community College electric dragster rear clip assembly was his focus for the conversion process. The project included composite selection and fabrication, time-cost analysis, basic modeling of stress using software, and researching composite testing methods. Nevada will attend the University of Washington majoring in mechanical engineering.
Mentor: Matthew Parsons-Fuentes
Sage Herr
Sage created a multifaceted Capstone Project for fundraising. This project emphasizes depth by creating a work-intensive product not usually part of the Graphics program at EvCC. Her capstone includes package design, elements of brand identity, and other design principles. She presented this package to a non-profit organization, gained financial support, and began production. She will graduate from EvCC and high school at the same time and will attend Western Washington University, fall 2017.
Mentor: Robert Lake
Khairina Khairu
Khairina researched and designed a prototype (virtual and physical) for an exoskeleton that is able to move the hip and knee joints of a humanoid. The miniature exoskeleton is built on a figurine that can bend like normal human legs and can be controlled by the user. The main objective of the exoskeleton is for a fully paralyzed person to experience walking but was made for a humanoid as a safety measure and to reduce complexity. Khairina will transfer to a top tier engineering university and continue her study of mechatronics.
Mentor: Joe Graber
Erika Knapp
Erica Planned and executed the illustrations for a children’s book. She studied children’s literature and styles of illustration in addition to creating a series of images with a continual style. Erica created both a story board and illustration of a child’s book. She will complete her degree in studio art from Everett Communication College, summer 2017.
Mentor: Sandra Lepper
Jovanka Lazovic
Jovanka researched and identified the main ideas around adversity and resilience from three religious perspectives in a scholarly research paper. She used both primary and authoritative secondary sources, supporting interpretations, and sustaining the analysis of how adversity is regarded in religious traditions. Jovanka will transfer to Seattle University the fall 2017, majoring in religious studies.
Mentor Dr. Joyce Walker
Krystle Levin
Krystle chose to explore Knot Theory for the first mathematics capstone at EVCC. For her project she researched the history and development of the Theory and examined the different methods for classifying various knots. She also generated and tested her own theory within the discipline and used LaTex type setting to put these findings into a final essay and created a 3D sculpture representing her coursework. Krystle hopes to continue her mathematics education at University of Washington – Bothell, fall 2017.
Mentor: Dr. Karen Linton
Corinne McIntyre
Corinne investigated sexual education and attitudes among college students. Her research consisted of an in-depth literature review of sex education in America, data collection from student surveys, and conclusions drawn from the analysis of the research. She will attend the University of Washington, fall 2017, majoring in psychology.
Mentor: Dr. Diane Brown
Brooke Robbinson
Brooke developed a prototype for the Everett Community College "Clipper" to convert to magazine format. Drawing from the discipline of Graphic Design, she developed templates and the prototype for "Clipper" staff members to analyze. She will complete her degree in graphic design, summer 2017.
Mentor: Andrew Wahl
Deborah Woods
Deborah’s capstone was a presentation of two landslides: Oso and Ledgewood. Her goal was to educate students on how to create a presentation for a national conference as an ungraduated student. The project included the use of PowerPoint, oral presentation preparation, and writing exercises. Deborah‘s intended major is geoscience and she will transfer to University of Washington, winter 2018.
Mentor: Steve Grupp
Tsz Hin "Owen" Yip
Owen adapted Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens into a short story set in contemporary Hong Kong. His version of the play elaborates on the play’s central theme and psychological tensions: greed/generosity, loyalty/betrayal, and the embrace of and withdrawal from society. Owen will attend the University of Washington, fall 2017, majoring in mathematics.
Mentor: Dr. Charles Fischer
2015-2016 Honors Program Capstone Projects
This is the fourth year students have graduated from the program. EvCC started its honors program in Fall 2011 to provide advanced academic challenges to students and enable students to stand out when they transfer to 4-year schools. Honors graduates’ achievements are reflected on their transcripts. The program is supported in part by a donation from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation. (Not pictured: Christa Moushey)
Ashley Cyrus, Social Science
Ashley conducted an in-depth look into the prison system, comparing the United States' current system with previous ones here, and current systems in other developed nations. This included an examination into the processes of incarceration from conviction, through sentencing, and then after release in order to examine the effects the system has on an inmate's physical and mental health; changes in personality; options in the future; and chances of being convicted again in the future.
Michelle Geiszler, Global Studies
Michelle identified five organizations that provide aid abroad, three non-governmental and 2 governmental. She explored the organizations to better understand how each organization receives funds, distributes aid, and services the populations they are aiding. She completed an extensive annotated bibliography and used those sources to write a 25 page research paper on the organization of her choice.
Jerry Jarvis, Engineering
Jerry undertook creating a remote-controlled drone capable of capturing steady videos, such as aerial footage of outdoor activities like kayaking, rock climbing, etc. This project included developing the criteria for which the project would be assessed, the design proposal, up to creation.
Lyndsey Ketz, Education
Lyndsey completed an electronic education portfolio, organized as a goal-driven documentation of her professional growth and achieved competence in education. It was a collection of documents that provides tangible evidence of the wide range of knowledge, disposition and skills she possesses as a growing education professional.
Greer King, Psychology
Greer conducted a literature review and wrote a research paper, giving detailed information and evidence, on sports psychology, specifically rowing. She also developed a survey to gain experience conducting field research, and interviewed champions in the field of rowing.
Christa Moushey, Drama
Christa compiled and presented a 5-7 minute promotional film which explains the story behind why and what drives the drama program at EvCC. This included participating in and documenting classes where students learned how to develop and write storylines. She conducted interviews with drama club members and alumni to glean information regarding their experiences of how the drama program affected them, as well as recorded in-class activities for the video.
Dawn Woodworth, Humanities
Dawn developed a self-contained event to give to the Burke Museum for the purposes of providing children experiencing difficult situations an evening offun and excitement as "A Night at the Museum". Research was conducted on current children's events locally, and "An Event in a Box" was created that provided the children an opportunity to conduct a guided tour of the museum.