Honors Program Theses
The University Honors Program is an intellectually stimulating and socially nurturing community of students of exceptional academic achievement. Every honors student has the opportunity to complete undergraduate research during their time at UNI by writing a thesis. Students work with faculty members in their major or area of interest to develop and conduct a study during either their Junior or Senior year. To go to the Honors Program page, click here.
From this page, you can browse our Honors Program Theses. To filter by department, use the Advanced Search function. Some theses and dissertations are not eligible for open access.
Submissions from 2022
Assessing and meeting the mental health needs of student athletes - A case study of the University of Northern Iowa, Samantha Bennett, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Best practice for treatment and prevention of ankle sprains in ballet dancers, Sara Bergin, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
College-age students' attitudes toward essential oils, alternative medicines, and modern medicine, Taylor Nicole Brown, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
How exercise affects the musculoskeletal system in the biological sexes: A literature review, Lauren Connolly, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Selective mutism in immigrant children, Lauren Cummings, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effects of acute aerobic exercise on motor cortex activation and piano performance, Maya Deuso, Department of Kinesiology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Blough dairy farm comprehensive safety & training manual, Riley Elaine Elenz, Department of Communication and Media, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Graduate student knowledge and skill development in infant feeding: Effectiveness of high-emotion simulator training, Emmalee Fannon, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Honors Program Thesis (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Water depth selection by Iowa wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) during seasonal activity periods, Jessica Haugen, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Young adult Holocaust literature: How is the Holocaust depicted and what is appropriate to teach?, Madison Hilbert, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Influence of the CPA credential on the life satisfaction of University of Northern Iowa accounting alumni, Derek Richard Koppes, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Communication in mass media surrounding public health crises: A comparative analysis, Megan Grace Kramer, Department of Communication and Media, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Optimization of micro-ct protocols for non-destructive identification of ligament ultrastructure in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, Spenser Jared Richard Larson, Department of Biology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Entering the field of scientific "edutainment", Rowan John McCarthy, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Developing methods to assess the role of Lumbricus terrestris on seed predation in prairie restoration, Jacey R. Meier, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Exploring high school students' perceptions post a social justice mathematics lesson, Emily Terrones Moore, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Weird critters: A visual narrative inspired by paleontology and teratology, Kate Murray, Department of Art, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Testing the efficiency of the NFL betting market, Ryan Earl Oswald, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Leveraging machine learning for detecting IoT-based interference in operational WiFi networks, Josh Pulse, Department of Computer Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Social media recruitment and online propaganda by extremist groups, Megan Marie Robinson, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
It's possible: Creating an ability inclusive production approach for the musical Cinderella, Danielle Jean Schmaltz, Department of Theatre, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
"Descendant" or "The Children of Life:" Superhumans, not superheroes, Kellen Schmidt, Department of Languages and Literatures, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Soil organic carbon accumulation in restored native prairies over time, Samrin Shahnaz, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Animal adoption profiles: An application of the human-animal connection, Autumn Stowe, Department of Social Work, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Preservice teachers, antiracism, and racial literacy: Exploring current preservice teachers' definitions and perceptions of racism and antiracism within teacher education, Olivia Gabrielle Terrones, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Alexander the Great and Achilles: The origin of the connection between the Homeric hero and the king of Macedon, Katie Thessen, Department of History, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
UNI Honors Program students' perceptions of gifted programming in K-12 education, Kylie Tinder, Department of Educational Psychology, Foundations, and Leadership Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The development of a photographic atlas of plant adaptations for pollination, Bethany Van Dusseldorp, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Addressing the accessibility gap in music: A review of the literature, Rachel Ann Vaughan, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of Native American pottery for maple syrup residues, Alexis Wirtz, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Using color with care: An exploration of the application of psychological color theory within language classrooms, Mackenzie Wisneski, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The role of self-efficacy in pelvic floor physical therapy, Madison Marie Young, Department of Kinesiology, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Submissions from 2021
Theories and applications of blockchain, Matthew R. Barton, Department of Management, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
"It all just ends": Death attitudes across age, gender, and religion, Bekah Bass, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
My year with digital supremacists, Nick Baur, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identification of fungi and their secondary metabolites from Wind Cave, Kyle Biscoglia, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Landscape genetics of Iowa's threatened black redhorse, Morganne C. Borsh, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A critical examination of corporate ideology in educational policy and practice: The real cost, Grace Brady, Department of Educational Psychology, Foundations, and Leadership Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Art by intention and art by appropriation: "Authenticity," Western encounters, and ethics of collection and display of African art, Katelyn Nicole Brockmeyer, Department of Art, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Using sentiment analysis to find the public's opinion on Iowa's three state schools, Alexa Ryan Bullock, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Assessing the comfort level of speech-language pathologists in assessing and treating deaf and hard of hearing children, Kaitlyn Burkamper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Midwest memoir: Cole Carolan, Cole James Carolan Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Methods and evaluation outcomes in speech, language, and hearing camps, Lindsey Paige Carter, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
What man artow?: An exploration of the narrator of the Canterbury tales, Kimberly Cavalier, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Bacillus bacteriophage Q11 may have a 5' covalently attached protein, Emily Cornelius, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A review of the molecular mediators of host-baculovirus interactions in Lepidoptera, Olivia Crouse, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Spreading awareness and gaining donor support for UNI Dance Marathon, Hannah Marie Dash, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
GILTI regulations: The intended effects compared to the actual results, Carson Lee Ehrenberg, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Anti-communist politics of the Second Red Scare and how it affected Hollywood and the types of movies being made, Maddy Everson, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Creating synthetic analogs of fluorescent speleothems in Wind Cave as an astrobiological model cave, Teresa Feldman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The search for life in extreme environments: Measuring diversity and quantity of Archaea in Wind Cave National Park, Nicole Geerdes, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Pre-service students understanding of professional roles, Anne Whalen Gradoville, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
"The Concord Concept:" Speculative fiction challenging young adult literature conventions, Dylan Lee Haase, Department of Languages and Literatures, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Made in China: Decline of unions and stagnant wages in the U.S., Witt Harberts, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2022 Award
The effects of fluoride on macrophage THP-1 cell apoptosis, Jessica Heims, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Traditional media marketing and the Panther marching band, Adam James Herzog, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Phonology and fluency: How pronunciation is (and is not) taught in United States ESL classrooms, Nik Hucke, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
On beauty: Ancient perceptions of beauty from classical Greece to Imperial Rome, Maya Jess, Department of History, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Possessive structures and genitive case: Spanish and English compared, Elizabeth Kelsey, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Ministry matters: A study of the relationship between campus ministry and socialization, Rachel Jean Kitrell, Department of Communication and Media, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Identifying Spanish-English cognates as intervention targets for speech sound disorders with bilingual children, Janessa A. Klein, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A student tubist's guide to doubling on bass trombone, Donovan Klutho, School of Music, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Fraud and COVID-19: An unintended downside of government aid during the pandemic, Derek LaBarge, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The idolization of Ada Lovelace and its necessity, Autumn Lauen, Department of Computer Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Multicultural education and attitudes towards immigrant groups in the United States, Anika Marie Lillegard-Bouton, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The effect of proximal carceral contact on political participation, Emily Loomis, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Impacts of theatre on the mental health of high school students, Madeline Ludwig, Department of Theatre, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A descriptive analysis of intuitive eating on the UNI campus, Natalee Jeanne Lyons, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2022 Award
Homeownership by race: Factors that explain the homeownership gap between blacks and whites, Sarah Madsen, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Understanding the lived experiences of Asian American transracial adoptees in college, Frances Elizabeth McDermott, Department of Educational Psychology, Foundations, and Leadership Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2021 Award
Preparing tomorrow's teachers: A program analysis of teacher education in Iowa and its role in preparing preservice teachers for emergent bilinguals, Karrigan Alexandria Mentzer, Department of Languages and Literatures, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Examining the effects of netropsin on the mobility of DNA A-tracts using capillary electrophoresis, Jillian Miller, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Evaluation of archeal growth on complex media and antibiotic regimes, Melanie Miller, Department of Biology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Creating an optimal portfolio with covariance adjustments for moving average trends, Jayden Moore, Department of Finance, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Assessing the implicit curriculum in social work education: An examination of the University of Northern Iowa students' experiences, Madison Motz, Department of Social Work, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2021 Award
Including English language learners in Algebra One instruction, Callie Irene Neighbor, Department of Mathematics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
U.S. presidential election portrayed by foreign media: Costa Rica and Nicaragua comparative study, Emily Neumann, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Meme marketing: How viral marketing adapts to the internet culture, Triet Minh Ngo, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Maternal mortality in the United States: Focusing on societal impacts and potential solutions, Grace Petrzelka, Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Artistic expression, permanence and change in a f*cked up world: Coping with the "sounds of silence", Brianna L. Pruitt, Department of Art, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Precarious enjoyment: Suicide contra schizophrenia, Mohammed Rawwas, Department of Educational Psychology, Foundations, and Leadership Studies, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Exploring the role of college women in ministry leadership through a qualitative analysis of Passion Conferences, Abigail Read, Department of Philosophy and World Religions, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Students' perceptions of different types of banks' marketing, Jeffrey Reicks, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
A workbook presenting fluency shaping and narrative therapy strategies for school-age children who stutter, Bailey Nicole Rustad, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Exploring eating disorders in athletes: A literature review and analysis of prevention strategies, Emily Schotzko, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Evaluating college students' attitudes and understanding of recycling, Taylor Shipley, Department of Economics, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Applying the education debt to Waterloo, Iowa, Baylee Renae Smith, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Literature review: Improving end-of-life care and creating a good death, Erna Smlatic, School of Applied Human Sciences, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
The moderating role of mindful awareness in the associations of adverse childhood experiences and coronavirus exposure with sleep patterns, Shyanne Faith Sporrer, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis 2021 Award
The influence of gain-loss framing and its interaction with political ideology on social distancing and mask wearing compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan Steffen, Department of Psychology, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Quantitative analysis of DNA polymerase alpha gene expression during various stages in chicken embryonic development, Carter Howard Stochl, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Converging artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies for security and risk management in banking, Van Binh Hai Tran, Department of Management, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Consideration of the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in the audit profession, Marcy Kim Uglum, Department of Accounting, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Mosquito fogging in Iowa: Examining the practices of five communities, potential health effects, and plausible alternatives, Hanna Vos, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
The administration of American elections during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sydney Wagner, Department of Political Science, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Optimizing DNA extraction from microorganisms living in Wind Cave, Allison Warming, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
An hour and a half from nowhere: A collection of rural fantasy stories, Ashley Jean Webb, Department of Languages and Literatures, Honors Program Thesis (UNI Access Only)
Exploring voting habits and attitudes of LGBTQ+ college students in the United States, Jordan Weber, School of Applied Human Sciences, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Promoting a culture of student self-advocacy within secondary science classrooms, Elizabeth Anne Wessels, Science Education Program, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
Bridging the gap: A guide to help design students become design professionals, Sarah Westholm, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Open Access Honors Program Thesis
