ALMA – Students presented the results of their research and projects in art, performance and science at the 29th annual Kapp Honors Day, a celebration of the liberal arts.
Over 100 Alma College students participated in 74 different presentations in Alma College’s 29th annual Kapp Honors Day program on Thursday, April 3, 2024. This day provides a forum when traditional classes are canceled and students share their original research, creativity and talents with an audience of their peers.
In sessions spanning nearly eight hours, students perform in dance productions, give oral presentations of scholarly research, and lead poster discussions. With a multitude of the student body participating, other students are encouraged to attend as many presentations as possible both to support their fellow students and to learn from them.
Outstanding projects in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are awarded the Ronald O. Kapp Honors Day Prize, named for the late Ronald O. Kapp, an Alma College biology professor for 32 years and vice president of academic affairs for 20 years. This year’s winners were Abigail Haag (humanities), Jenna Holzinger (natural sciences) and Kay Keller (social sciences).
Students are listed below along with the title(s) of their presentation(s):
Lydia Back; Freeland, Mich.
Presentation: Systemic Markers of Bone Health in Aging Kidney Disease
Amanda Baker; Sparta, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Krysta M. Bennett; Howard City, Mich.
Presentation: Who’s to Blame: An Examination of Environmental Inequality
Andrew J. Benton; Oscoda, Mich.
Presentation: Real-Time Monitoring and Control of Colloidal Crystal Growth Using AuNPs and DNA
Evdokia Blysniuk; Royal Oak, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Lauren Brawt; Sanford, Mich.
Presentation: Examining The Relationship Between Bone Reoxygenation and Bone Mineral Density Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry
Morgan P. Brow; Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Presentation: How Does Temperature Affect Nest Success of Eastern Bluebirds?
Grace Buckingham; Saginaw, Mich.
Presentation: Factors Associated with Adjustment to College for Bereaved Students
Michael Campione; Rochester, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Jenna Cantu; Ithaca, Mich.
Presentation: FYS Wicked Problems
Khalil Allah Chalouati; Tunis, Tunisia
Presentation: Enzyme Inhibition Assay
Sophia M. Cooney; Ludington, Mich.
Presentation: Factors Associated with Adjustment to College for Bereaved Students
Ella A. Corson; Tecumseh, Mich.
Presentation: Game Over For GamerGate
Joseph A. Cosentino; Plainfield, Ill.
Presentation: Mental Health of College-Aged Performing Arts Students
Dani S. Crews; Ypsilanti, Mich.
Presentation: Aristotle on a Good Human Life
Mariella M. Cusack; Ada, Mich.
Presentation: Examining The Relationship Between Bone Reoxygenation and Bone Mineral Density Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry
Elsa L. Dupon; Shelby Township, Mich.
Presentation: The Ethical Landscape of Nuclear Power Development in the USA
Jackson S. Eelbode; Macomb, Mich.
Presentations: Annotation and Analysis of Trump’s Executive Orders and Policies: What Do They Say, and What Do They Mean?
Foolsville (how is it that I m standing here myself?) | poetry collection
Optics of Occupation: Pinkwashing, Greenwashing, and Bluewashing in Israel’s Self-Representation Strategy
Hailey M. Elwarner; Roseville, Mich.
Presentation: From Broken to Villian
Shelly Fisk; Fenwick, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Ava R. Gilbert; Rockford, Mich.
Presentations: Sitcom Representations of Women Eating
Body Composition and Anaerobic Fitness of Division 3 Collegiate Cheer and STUNT Athletes
Owen G. Gornicki; Midland, Mich.
Presentation: From Count Dracula to El Conde: A Brief History of the Vampire Cinema of Latin America
Grace M. Gottschalk; Granville, Ohio
Presentations: HNR 300 – 5-Year Anniversary
Density Functional Theory QSAR Model for CDK6 Breast Cancer Inhibitors
Ryan J. Gray; Chandler, Mich.
Presentation: The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Circadian Rhythms and Sleep
Katie M. Gregones; Westland, Mich.
Presentation: Crises and Challenges: One Hundred Years at Alma College
Elaina L. Gross; Kalamazoo, Mich.
Presentation: Pre-Service Teachers Understanding of Agency in the Classroom
Abigail Haag; Midland, Mich.
Presentation: The Gendered Echo Chamber: Partisan Media and the Perpetuation of Misogyny
Holly Hall; Armada, Mich.
Presentation: HNR 300 – 5-Year Anniversary
Kylie M. Halverson; Grand Rapids, Mich.
Presentation: Correlation Between Grip Strength and Exit Velocity of DIII Collegiate Softball Players
Audrey E. Hester; Grand Rapids, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Brooke A. Hetherington; Edmore, Mich.
Presentation: Does God Exist?
Jenna L. Holzinger; Sanford, Mich.
Presentation: Softball Performance and Men. Cycle
Calvin P. Huggler; Otisville, Mich.
Presentation: Investigating the Effect of Mayapple Extract on Glucose Uptake in Skeletal Muscle Cells
Alice A. Hutchins; Rockford, Mich.
Presentation: Racial Bias within Pre-Health Structures: How Students and Faculty at PWIs Can Address Bias
Katelyn Jacot; Flint, Mich.
Presentation: Investigating the Effect of Mayapple Extract on Glucose Uptake in Skeletal Muscle Cells
Reyna Jayson; Livonia, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Kennedy L. Kalish; Rockford, Mich.
Presentation: The Intersection between Education, Poverty, and Mental Health in Sierra Leone
Michael L. Kasperek; Sterling Heights, Mich.
Presentation: Effect of Foam Roller Texture on Recovery
Kay R. Keller; Owosso, Mich.
Presentation: Survival of the Fair Folk: How Land Memory and Christian Missionary Work Kept Pre-Christian Ireland Alive
Colton Kennedy; Hopkins, Mich.
Presentation: FYS Wicked Problems
Matthew M. Kinney; Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
Presentation: Behavioral and Biochemical Characterization of Neuroinflammation in Aged GFAP-IL6 Transgenic Mice
Maxim F. Kraniak; Royal Oak, Mich.
Presentation: Synthesis of a Schiff Base and Its Reactivity with Metal Complexes
Rebecca R. Kobylas; Milford, Mich.
Presentation: Collegiate Dance Teams: A Model for Cohesion, Performance, Satisfaction, and Decreased Burnout
Emily Kraenzlein; Midland, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Helena M. Kucera; White Lake Township, Mich.
Presentation: International Law and the Russio-Ukraine War
Toby A. Layson; Washington Township, Mich.
Presentation: Tiers and Tears: A Philosophical Exploration of a Hierarchy of International Human Rights
Victoria E. Lecureux: Breckenridge, Mich.
Presentation: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Drug and Alcohol Use in a Sample of U.S. College Students
Leia R. Lehrer; Milford, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Kylie A. Lewis; Grand Blanc, Mich.
Presentation: Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction While Training in College Students with Past Ankle Injury
Will T. Maginity; Boyne City, Mich.
Presentation: Sparky and Steel: Renegades
Grace E. Main; West Bloomfield, Mich.
Presentation: The Mining and Lumber Industries of 19th Century Michigan; Their Impacts on the Anishinaabe People, Untouched Land, and Role in Immigration
Rileigh M. McGeorge; Grand Ledge, Mich.
Presentation: Evaluation of Landing Mechanisms Post Injury to the Foot or Ankle
Nicole Milligan; Holland, Mich.
Presentation: Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction While Training in College Students with Past Ankle Injury
Regan Mockerman; Wyoming, Mich.
Presentation: How Does Temperature Affect Nest Success of Eastern Bluebirds?
Elizabeth T. Mukurazita; Harare, Zimbabwe
Presentation: Dissecting Why Media Is Not the Sole Cause of Body Dissatisfaction Among Female College Students In Collectivistic Cultures vs America
Atticus Mulder; Sidney, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Megan R. Neeley; West Bloomfield Township, Mich.
Presentation: From Pre-Pandemic to Post-Pandemic: Examining Motives and Trends in 21st-Century Accounting Fraud
Archey G. Neumann; Gaylord, Mich.
Presentation: Academic Anxiety and Social Coping
Charlayne-Aye Olegario; Brownstown Charter Township, Mich.
Presentations: Cloud Formations: Cumulus & Cirrus
The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Rachel Olivieri; Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Andrew J. Omans; Alma, Mich.
Presentation: Environmental Ethical Dilemma
David O’Rourke; Crystal, Mich.
Presentation: HNR 300 – 5-Year Anniversary
Chloe M. Pace; Dearborn Heights, Mich.
Presentation: Literature: The Greatest Political Movement of All Time
Joseph Paulin; Muir, Mich.
Presentation: Factors Associated with Adjustment to College for Bereaved Students
Elena Psetas; Saginaw, Mich.
Presentation: Investigating the Effect of Mayapple Extract on Glucose Uptake in Skeletal Muscle Cells
Matthew T. Przepiora; Bay City, Mich.
Presentations: HNR 300 – 5-Year Anniversary
AI in the Accounting Industry
Lea Rauh; Leonard, Mich.
Presentation: FYS Wicked Problems
Mike Ravn; Fredericia, Denmark
Presentation: The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Circadian Rhythms and Sleep
Kenley A. Riley; Atlantic Beach, N.C.
Presentation: How the Global Climate Change Crisis Impacts Ports
Emma Risinger; Belmont, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Paulina M. Rivet; Laingsburg, Mich.
Presentation: The Evolution of American Social Dance
August C. Sack; Glen Arbor, Mich.
Presentation: A Cold Peace: Thirty Years in the Making
Reneigh Sandmann; Baroda, Mich.
Presentation: Correlation Between Grip Strength and Exit Velocity of DIII Collegiate Softball Players
Kyle C. Scheck; Highland, Mich.
Presentation: The Ethical Dilemma of Factory Farming
Joanna X. Scorziello; Grand Rapids Township, Mich.
Presentation: Systemic Markers of Bone Health in Aging Kidney Disease
Elizabeth E. Scott; Jackson, Mich.
Presentation: The Violence of ‘Gentlemen’s Children’: How John Reed’s Abuse Reflects Real-World Hatred
Aubrey Seger; Morenci, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Samuel K. Sircely; Gaylord, Mich.
Presentation: Synthesis of a Sulfur-Bridged Platinum(II) Dimer
Dylan Smith; Arnold, Mo.
Presentation: Maskless Lithography with a DLP 3D Printer: A Low-Cost Approach to Microfabrication
Lily E. Smith; Davison, Mich.
Presentation: Loneliness in Literature and Its Historical Context and What We Learn From It
Freya Soffredine; Traverse City, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Emily Spear; St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Presentation: How Does Temperature Affect Nest Success of Eastern Bluebirds?
Toby J. Stauffer; Midland, Mich.
Presentation: Remote Work: Is it Beneficial or Harmful?
Chelsea J. Swartzle; Okemos, Mich.
Presentation: Rank and Extracurriculars: Impacts on Social Integration, Motivation, Confidence, and Dedication
Lexie B. Thayer; St. Louis, Mich.
Presentation: High Teacher Turnover and Educator Stress in America
Jack Townsend; Freeland, Mich.
Presentation: The Stories We Carry: 2025 Art and Design Senior Show
Emerson M. Trainor; Freeland, Mich.
Presentation: Regulating the Unregulated: Challenges and Solutions for AI in the Legal System
Chris A. Ulysse; Miramar, Fla.
Presentation: Buddhism
Megan T. Walch; Lake Orion, Mich.
Presentation: The Collapse of the AMOC
Austin W. Walker; Grand Rapids, Mich.
Presentation: Synthesis of Group-1 Neuraminidase Enzyme Inhibitors
Ali J. Wanink; Montrose, Mich.
Presentation: Pleasure and Power: The Ethical Dilemmas of the Pornography Industry and an Analysis of Porn
Mick Webb; Kingsley, Mich.
Presentation: The Pine River Anthology 2024-25: Weather the Storm
Melanie Werner; Westphalia, Mich.
Presentation: FYS Wicked Problems
Maizey B. Wheeler; Olivet, Mich.
Presentation: Belongingness in Queer and Straight Students at Alma College
Abigail J. Williams; Toledo, Ohio
Presentation: Bullying Prevention in the Classroom: Is What We Offer Our Teachers Good Enough?
Grant M. Wiliford; Traverse City, Mich.
Presentation: Love Embodied Through Music
Petra A. Wilson; Traverse City, Mich.
Presentation: The Origin of Trumpism: The Strategies Trump Used to Rise From a Businessman to the President of the United States
Caleigh Winters; Charlotte, Mich.
Presentation: HNR 300 – 5-Year Anniversary
Sarah Wortley; Midland, Mich.
Presentation: How Does Temperature Affect Nest Success of Eastern Bluebirds?
Regan L. Yates; Laingsburg, Mich.
Presentation: The Taste of America: How American Cuisine Shapes and Reflects Culture and Identity”