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SAMPLE ABSTRACTS
Elizabeth Milligan ’08; Westminster, Colorado
Education and History
Educating Students, Empowering Citizens
This presentation will address the purpose and goals of
social studies education, specifically within the social
reconstructionist theoretical framework. The thesis puts forth
a “4 E” framework, outlining the philosophy and application of
social studies and citizenship education. The 4 E framework
calls on social studies educators to educate, engage, equip,
and empower students as learners and citizens. The 4 E
framework is explored in a 21st Century context through a
case study on the Darfur student movement, examining the
effects of student civic participation on learning and teaching
in the high school.
Eric Murphy ’08; Vernon Hills, Illinois
Independent Scholar
“It ain’t all in the head!”
Where (or where isn’t) consciousness? In what conceptual or
physical space does consciousness spread its influence? How
does asking the Mind/Body question this way relate to the
increasing complexity of reality and knowledge that (I believe)
occurs over history, teleologically? How can we use the tools
of philosophy of mind, literary criticism, and religious studies
to answer these questions?
Jenny Murphy ’08; Skokie, Illinois
English, Spanish
Women in Spain: A Historical Perspective and a Literary
Analysis
During my semester abroad in Seville, Spain, I studied Spanish
women from a literary and historical perspective. Because of
the country’s constant battle between tradition and progress,
dictatorship and democracy, contemporary Spanish women
particularly interest me. Lucía Graves’ memoir discusses
women’s lives directly preceding and during Franco’s Catholic
dictatorship while Soledad Puértolas’ novel Queda la noche
treats the remarkable and rapid modernization of Spain after
Franco’s death in 1975. I also examine more recent changes
through my interviews of Spanish and American women who
have lived in Spain.
Terese “Beth” Noe ’10; Gurnee, Illinois
Pre-Health and Biology, French
Age-dependent Stopover Ecology of Male American Redstarts
during Spring Migration
Previous studies suggest that in the American Redstart, a small
migratory bird, older individuals are more suited to the task of
migration each spring than younger individuals, which should
be reflected in physiological characteristics, such as decreased
fat stores, increased feather wear, and poor condition indices.
Using data from birds mist-netted at SWAMP in Lake
Forest, Illinois, I investigated whether second-year birds are
at a physiological disadvantage to older birds during spring
migration, and found that on the contrary, fat stores and
condition indices are similar. This suggests younger birds
may have mechanisms to compensate for their disadvantages,
such as delayed departure from wintering grounds.