The Capstone Paper is written by students in the Master's Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management. Capstones reassess theoretical knowledge in light of professional experience in the form of a final research paper, incorporating both classroom knowledge and practicum based experience.
The full-text of papers in the Capstone Collection is limited to World Learning/SIT faculty, staff, students, and alumni. If you are not affiliated with World Learning and want access to these papers contact your local library and ask about requesting the hard copy on interlibrary loan.
Due to copyright restrictions some papers are not available full-text electronically. World Learning affiliated students and staff can check these papers out of the library or, if you are off-campus, request them via interlibrary loan
Submissions from 2013
Global Duos: An Internationally-Minded Reflection and Mentorship Program for International Students and Study Abroad Returnees, Amanda C. Batista
After the Sugarcane: A Case Study of Community Development in Rural Dominican Republic, Heidi Larr
Submissions from 2012
Regenerative Entrepreneurship, Matthew Abrams
Thirsting For Justice: A Campaign to Educate and Mobolize Palestinian Youth to Advocate For Water Rights, Ashraf Ashqar
Making Changes and Coming Full Circle: A Look at How Women Farmers in Oregon and Washington Define Their Own Identities, Realities, and Contributions, Courtney Bauman
It Will Be an Ugly Winter (Again) This Year: A Case Study of the Vermont Community Action Partnership's Perennial Fight for Low-Income Fuel Assistance Programs, Elizabeth H. Bennett
Revolutionary Ideology in the Information Age: Technology of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, Jed D. Blume
Northern Lights: Fourth World Nations and the Geopolitical Dance in the Arctic, Heidi G. Bruce
"The Need for Nature: Exploring Youth Leadership Development through Outdoor Activities", Margaret A. Dudley
In what ways does research-based gender-specific youth programming affect girls’ development post-program?, Alaina Ennamorati
American Ways: A Course in Contemporary U.S. Culture for International Students, Christopher D. Fitch
The First Generation Community: What Does It Mean to be a Youth Member?, Elissa M. Gallup
Learning to inform action: Most Significant Change technique as a tool to build evaluative capacity at Tostan, Sarah Harris
Community Development Challegnes in Rural Guatemala, Maryam Jamali
Mountain Movement: The Design, Implementation, & Evaluation of a Youth Yoga Program, Abigail A. Long
The Californians Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE) Act: A Case Study in Policy Advocacy, Bailey Mannisto-Ichés
Unlocking the Roots of Stigma Towards Victims of Trafficking in Albania, Dana L. Marion
Chronic Child Neglect: CYS Staff Perspectives on Repeat Clients, Erin M. Murphy
The Meeting School: An Alternative Mode of Education, Hallel Parsons
A Lone Nut in Compton:Lessons in Community Engagement with TreePeople in South Los Angeles, Jason Schlatter
Training Parent Volunteers As Effective Allies In Youth Empowerment Programs, Ria Shroff
Incentivized HIV Testing--Is It Needed and Effective? Developing an Evaluation Tool, Dawn Spellman
Branding Lazos de Amor: Importance and Challenges of Branding Small Non-Profits, The Journey Towards a Better Brand., Sugey Terrero
Thinking Beyond Borders: Critical Pedagogy in a Neoliberal Economy, Sarah E. White
Submissions from 2011
Racial Minorities in the Nonprofit Field: A Reflection on the Field and Personal Experience, Victoria Der
‘It’s Not Justice, It’s Economic’: The United States, Aid And The Neoliberalization Of The Occupation, Jora Ehrlich
Experiences With Peace Corps’ Third Goal: Perspectives Of Peace Corps Mali Volunteers, Elizabeth N. Gardiner
Perceptions of Access to Education: Inclusion and Exclusion for Non-Karen Refugees in Mae La Camp, Matthew Gross
Positive Discomfort: Structured Student Reflection in International Service-Based Programs: A Social Justice Curriculum, Stephanie K. Kraemer
Peace Corps Paraguay’s Diversity Day: A Reflection On Diversity In The Context Of Peace Corps Service, Laara Manler
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention: In Search Of The Best Program Model, Melissa McCrory
Faith In Action: A Snapshot Of Fair Trade Program Initiatives By Catholic Churches In The Brooklyn And Queens Dioceses, Yvette Mendes
Collaboration As Social Change: The Impact Of Schools As Community Centers, Maggie Morales
The Campaign For Bias-Free Policing In Vermont: One State’s Resistance To The Localization Of Federal Immigration Agency, Amanda L. Park
The Insecurity of “Secure Communities”: A Case Study of an Advocacy Campaign To Protect Immigrant Rights in Santa Barbara, CA, Tina Pia Peirano
Experiences In Coexistence and Anti-Normalization Phenomenological Case Study: Arab Alumni Of The Arava, Lauren Rauch
Developing Intercultural Sensitivity In Children And Adults: A Trainer’s Experiences In The Field, Laura E. Schairbaum
Beyond Heard: Young Adults in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic Of Congo, Their Resilience and Role in Peacebuilding., Cynthia Tarter
Long-Term Food Security In Kenya: Opportunities And Challenges To Implementing The U.S. Feed The Future Program, Faustine Wabwire
The Global Citizen Revisited: Building Critical Conciousness In Youth Volunteering Abroad, Anna Welton
The Role of Youth in Post-Conflict Reconstruction (The Case of Liberia), Marit Woods
Submissions from 2010
Women as Change Agents and the Influence of Education on Their Approach to Social Change: Illustration of Four Female SIT Graduates, Yetunde Oluyemisi Ajao
Defining Diversity: Exploring the Role of “Diversity” in Major Organizations, Julianne Appleton
Constructing Confidence: Discovering the Benefits of Girls’ Empowerment Programming, Deborah L. Attewell
Increasing Intercultural Competence in Fort Wayne Communities: My Experience as a Change Agent, Mastora Bakhiet
An Examination Of How Refugee Resettlement Affects The Experiences Of Karen Female Refugees That Remain On The Thai/Burma Border, Abigail Behrends
A Logical Framework For Partnership For The Advancement And Immersion Of Refugees (P.A.I.R), Maria Burke
Some Best Advocacy Practices In The Fight Against Hiv/Aids In Mali, West Africa, Fode Sory Camara
Perspectives and Issues of Youth Activism, Anna Gail L. Caunca
The Scourge of Human Trafficking: Responses by NGOs & Government Agencies – With Special Focus on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking In the United States, Brandon William Christopher Coberly
Corporate Social Responsibility in Hotels: How CSR Programs are Developed and Implemented, Matthew Courtland
How Does Knowledge Management Impact Sustainability, Benjamin Dewberry
BUILDING CAPACITIES TO INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY: A project management analysis of ONE MOLDOVA - ONE WORLD 2, Erin Elizabeth Erickson
A Case Study of Child Trends: Research as the Backbone of Policy, Megan Fletcher
Cultural Learning of Canadian Students Participating in the “Teaching Across Borders – National Volunteer Center Program”, Clayton Harrington
An Examination of a Training and Development Program for Empowering Civil Society and Community Based Organizations toward Community Sustainability in the Gambia, Salieu Sireh Jallow
Moved by Motivation: Middle School Learners: An Analysis of Theories of Motivation and Learning Relating to the Development of Socially Responsible Curriculum, Sara Mazzucca Kattam
Knowing Whats White: Eurocentrism In The Middle School Curriculum- Teachers' Perceptions, Anne Koplinka-Loehr
Women’s Rights at Stake: Examination of the U.S. History and Policy of Women’s Reproductive Health and Justice, Shan-Jan Sarah Liu
International Students' Adjustment Process Within U.S Academe At The University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Ruth Chamindi Mathew
The Feminization Of Poverty; Women Living Below The Poverty Line In Nellore, India And Their Perceptions Of Gender, Meghan McCormick
Crowdsourcing, Social Media, And Collective Potential, Katrina Noyes
Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Effective Practices For Survivors Of Human Trafficking Residing In Long-Term Shelters, Hope Pavich
Food, Farms and Jobs: A Case Study of the Advocacy Campaign for Local Food Systems in Illinois, Lindsay Record
Commodification of Children by Custodial Mothers in Ghana: Child Labor as a Substitute for Child Support?, Tchotcho Elise Shockley
A Journey Into Adulthood: What Are The LEAPYEAR Program Outcomes For Participating Students?, Ekaterina Sidor
Diverse Views of the Causes of Environmental Migration among Pastoralists in Northern Niger, Julie Snorek
Discussions For Democracy: Public Dialogues On Interrelated Issues Of Sustainable Peace And Social Justice In Nepal’s Governance Transition, Susal Stebbins-Collins
Teaching Nature, Jennifer L. Sundquist
“You Search The Job For Me?’ The Experience Of Finding Employment For Bhutanese Refugees In Western Massachusetts, Nancy Swyers
Advocating for human trafficking legislation in Vermont: The campaign that resulted in the passage of Vermont’s first human trafficking bill, Elizabeth Tedrick-Moutz
Volunteer Experiences in Russia: Addressing the issues faced by Russian volunteers in Russian NGOs, Larisa Volkavichyute
Yoga And Social Action: An Exploration Into The Relationship Between Yoga And Social Action As Experienced By Yoga Instructors, Summer Wember
Creating A Brilliant Future For Kai - A Study On The Support Of Adults With Autism, Tian Xu
Stormwater Policy: Case Study Of Advocacy For Updated Stormwater Management Practices In Montgomery County, Maryland, Emily Zachery
Submissions from 2009
Building Bridges With Restorative Justice: Theory and Practice on the Brattleboro Reparative Probation Panels, Janice Baldwin
Hope For Partnerships? Local Leadership In An International Partnership In Rural Tanzania, Sarah Bickel
The Role of Unions Today in the U.S.: Who Benefits?, Susanna Blankley
Know Thy Enemy, Know Thyself: An Orientation Curriculum to Assist U.S. Military Personnel in Cultural Competencies, Joshua Burns
Non-Degree Academic Exchange Programs for International Undergraduate Students: The Real Value for Participants and the United States, Irina Cheptanari
Community Engagement and Tools for Social Change, Hope Clark
Social Service or Social Change?: A Comparative Case Study of Two Battered Women’s Organizations, Jordan F. Dez
Advocacy Case Study Analysis: Global Campaign for Education, Allahleudé Djékoundadé
Creating A Program That Is Geared Toward The Under-Represented Populations In Study Abroad: The Cultural Education And Study Abroad Readiness (C.E.S.A.R.) Project, Teneisha R. Ellis
The Green Divide: Bridging the Gap Between Politics and Practice Regarding Environmental Issues Among Conservative Christians, Melodie A. Foster
Improving School Climate Using Professional Development: The need for transformational leadership in one urban school, Kristine M. Fredrick
The Essentials of Successful Leadership Transition in Small Non-Profit Organizations: Case Studies in Transition from a Long-Term Director to the Next Director, Yoshikazu Funato
The Human Resources Department of Asian American Community Services in Columbus, Ohio: A Critical Examination, Payel Gupta
The Impact of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution on the Chinese People Today: A Conflict Analysis and Ideas for Healing, Catherine Hewen Hellman
Retention Plan For A Turkish Local NGO, Akiko Kobayashi