HN 300 and 400
A core part of the Honors Program here at Whitworth is our final capstone project.
October 5, 2025
Video made with the assistance of Samuel Ortega ’25
All George Whitworth Honors students complete an individual project as part of their Honors Curriculum, cultivating skills of problem-solving, project proposals, and project management.
Projects may be academic or applied but in some way reflect the Honors Program’s Mission:
“The Whitworth Honors Program challenges talented and motivated scholars to pursue excellence of mind and heart, to cultivate leadership qualities and skills, and to commit to lives of service. The Honors Program does more than guide scholars to navigate the world as it is; it equips them to solve problems and to develop the world as it should be.”
A core part of the Honors Program here at Whitworth is our final capstone project.
My honors capstone project investigates how systemic marginalization affects the political participation and lived experiences of religious minorities in Pakistan, focusing particularly on Christian communities in Karachi. Through qualitative research involving semi-structured interviews, I examined how fear, discrimination, and historical shifts in state ideology contribute to political disengagement. Participants expressed deep frustration with exclusionary practices, legal discrimination through blasphemy laws, and socio-economic disenfranchisement. Yet, I also uncovered stories of remarkable resilience such as communities leveraging civil society, clustering in safe neighborhoods, and using social media as new platforms for political expression.
CAITLIN TEETER Class of 2024. Biology and English Double-Major. Over the past few decades, studies from groups such as Scholastic have shown that children are
Growing up, the bookshelves in my home were always bursting with picture books, and many of them still are, even as the novels pile up on every surface for lack of room. I have long enjoyed reading, and credit my books with my interest in learning. This project came about as an attempt to make this love for reading and learning accessible to more people.
The stereotype of women apologizing more than men was tested by a psychology study which found that women apologized at higher frequencies. Yet, each gender apologized for an equal proportion of their offenses if it was recognized by them as a transgression (81% mean for men and women). My question was inspired by considering the compliment to an apology, forgiveness. If women engage with apology behavior at higher frequencies, whether or not a transgression has been fully realized, does this water down their engagement with relational repair? Conversely, does a lower frequency and a higher threshold for viewing a situation as apology-worthy influence greater levels of sincerity in the interpretation of forgiveness for men?
ELEANOR JEFFERS Class of 2024. Philosophy Major. Details Forthcoming. Care Ethics for the Recently Deceased My project will analyze how an ethic of care can
With the overturing of Roe V Wade came a plague of misinformation surrounding reproductive health. This led to medical practitioners and specialists being misinformed and fearing prosecution for providing lifesaving procedures on pregnant women. Reproductive healthcare doesn’t just involve abortion, it includes emergency care, about the right to survive a pregnancy. The misinformation flooding the system is making everything worse. State laws are murky and full of vague language state by state, leaving medical professionals unsure if they’d be prosecuted for providing necessary, lifesaving care for their patients. To me, it is wrong that in a first world country, people are left to suffer because of this misinformation. My goal is to bring light to proper information about abortion care even in the most restrictive states.
DELANEY WOODS Class of 2024. Health Sciences Major. Breaking the Cycle: Redefining healthcare through overprescription awareness In a healthcare system reliant on pharmacological interventions, patient
Aging Americans and their caregivers should have easy access to dignifying end-of-life care. The rapid increase in the 65+ population requires policy innovation in current Medicare regulation concerning hospice. Coordinated, intentional efforts between government and private sector providers, insurance navigators, community organizations, and houses of worship are also needed to change public attitudes towards hospice care, encourage referrals, increase uptake, and offer emotional, psychological, and spiritual support.
MEGAN NECOCHEA Megan is an undergraduate student at Whitworth University pursuing her Bachelor’s in English. She is the editor-in-chief of Script Magazine and the nonfiction editor of Rock and
My research is specifically looking at Whitworth and how they treat sexual violence on campus. I looked into what resources and programs there are for sexual violence survivors on this campus or any education about what sexual violence is for the rest of the student body. What I found was scarce, not only the research around Christian colleges and sexual assault, but also the resources on this campus for students.
Hannah Neuberger, a senior majoring in biology, is researching the level of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) in the Spokane River in her HN 400 class.
Sarah Immel, a senior double majoring in human computer interactions and English writing studies, is using the Honors program as a way to merge the different interests in her majors and design interdisciplinary projects.
A good magazine thrives off of good writing, good design, good photos, and good direction. However, in addition to the talent required to pull off these difficult qualifiers, a good magazine requires consistent policy to ensure the quality and consistency of its work. Additionally, written policy is important for providing transparency, which is a vital element of journalistic writing.
CASEY PROCIW Class of 2024. Casey is a graduating senior with an English major and a Medieval/Early Modern Minor. He is a member of Sigma
HAILEY NASS Class of 2025. Elementary Education Major. I come from a family of teachers and have always been drawn to helping people. I am
KAE BENTON Class of 2024. Biochemistry Major. As a student who has spent many hours in biology and chemistry classes, I have fostered a deep
KENDALL SANDHOP Class of 2024. Kendall is an undergraduate student studying Biology and Environmental Science at Whitworth university. Her graduating plan is to take a
AARON BRATT Class of 2024. Aaron Bratt is a double major in music composition and English writing. Aaron cares deeply about storytelling and, although ecology
ANGELA WESSEL Class of 2024. I am currently pursuing a B.B.A., with a management concentration. I also have theology and sociology minors, and career-wise I’m
Immigration has long been a contentious issue in the U.S., but recent years have seen increasingly negative public attitudes shaped by race, religion, politics, and nationalism. Notably, research shows that white evangelical Christians often support restrictive immigration policies—despite professing compassion and a biblical call to welcome the stranger. This study explores how those contradictions play out locally in Spokane, Washington, by centering the voices of immigrants and refugees and examining how race, religion, and legal status shape their resettlement experiences.
Modern language has become violent in a way that abstracts our words from their actual meanings. Phrases like “slay” “break a leg” “you’re killing it” and many others reveal how violence has settled into quotidian linguistics. This reorientation towards violence desensitizes people to its larger social implications and promotes inadequate communication. Language that was once, and by dictionary definition still is, seen as violent or harmful is now utilized in neutral or even uplifting ways. Desensitization towards larger problems in society like gun violence, racism, global warming, etc. engenders an escalation of language in order to gain an appropriate reaction to said issues.
Hannah Stoddard, who is majoring in international studies, found that Honors has given her a way to connect her major, her personal experiences, and her passion. The intersection of these different parts of Hannah’s life has resulted in a pool project aimed to improve local communities.
My project exists to bring glory to God and honor His creative design for men and women by mirroring the literary structure of Christine de Pizan’s The Book of the City of Ladies. In this piece of creative nonfiction, the symbolic building of a Protestant church—beautiful, unadorned, and rooted in Scripture—serves as the framework for showcasing the biblical femininity of six extraordinary women from the Protestant Reformation.
My project, MisMatch, started from a real-life frustration — how much time and energy it takes just to pick an outfit. Research shows that people spend around 102 hours a year deciding what to wear (Marks & Spencer), and about 50% of Americans say it’s the most stressful part of getting ready for an event (Trunk Club). At the same time, the fast fashion industry produces around 92 million tons of textile waste each year (UNEP), most of which ends up in landfills. I wanted to create something that helped people in their everyday lives while also promoting more sustainable habits.
Ultimately, my project seeks to foster a more informed healthcare environment. One in which researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients are better equipped to navigate the unique complexities of women’s health.