Honors College
When Zane Colvin moved from rural Wynne to bustling Hot Springs, he was wowed by the urban energy of his new home, but curious about the hot springs — where were they? Check out his bold proposal for Arkansas’ top tourist attraction.
For her honors thesis, Madeline Braun explored how the Kansas City Chiefs and the Razorbacks cultivate identity loyalty within their own brands. To find the secret sauce, she distributed a survey asking both Chiefs and Razorbacks devotees to answer questions about their sense of pride and loyalty in their team.
For her honors thesis, senior political science major Daniella Ruiz Cantú knew that she wanted to combine her studies in both sociology and political science with her interest in film. She was confused why, despite numerous successful films featuring people of color front and center — like Coco and Crazy Rich Asians — she continued to encounter racism in the news and in person. After taking Lisa Corrigan’s honors colloquium in communications, she learned of one possible explanation: the reinforcement of the white gaze in media.
Dawson Oakley, a biological engineering senior, Honors College Fellow and hobbyist videographer with a passion for the outdoors and sustainability, decided to merge his interests by developing a video that raises awareness about climate change issues and showcases how engineering is being used to mitigate them.
Gabrielle Krupa, a senior communications sciences and disorders major, and Sutton Bauman, a senior communications sciences and disorders major with a background in human development, set out to explore how new technologies impact how parents bond with their newborn children.
Animal science majors Kayla DeSmet and Sabrina Cox labored in the trenches throughout the pandemic — DeSmet working at a hospital for small and exotic animals in Fayetteville, while Cox learned the ropes at a Tontitown clinic that cares for pets and livestock. For their honors thesis research, they decided to document COVID-19’s day-to-day and long-term impacts on the companion animal industry from 2020 to 2021.