The Capstone Paper is written by students in the SIT Graduate Institute Master of Arts degree programs. 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 written prior to July 2011 in the Capstone Collection are limited to SIT and other World Learning faculty, staff, students, and alumni. If you are not affiliated with SIT or World Learning and want access to these papers contact your local library and ask about requesting the hard copy on interlibrary loan. Full-text papers written after July 2011 are openly accessible to the public.
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 2010
Change Management In Environmental Nonprofits, Olesya Boreyko
The Many Faces Of Multiculturalism: Teacher Perspectives — An Elementary School Case Study, Carrie Doggett
Maturing Advocacy: One INGO’s Experience in Developing Advocacy Across the Organization and Into the Programs, Annita L. Espinoza
Institutional Food Buyers in A Local Food System: The Perceived Barriers and Opportunities of Expanding Windham County’s Local Food System, Katherine Gillespie
Short-term and long-term impact of invitation program for Japanese teachers to Korea, Anna Hagiwara
Overcoming the Drug-War Meme: A Comparative Analysis of Existing Illicit-Drug Policies and the Grassroots Advocacy Efforts to Encourage “Harm Reduction” in the Pacific Northwest, Nathan Michael Haslip
A Welcome Departure: A Case Study on Democratic Governance Assessments in the Eastern Caribbean, Colin Hickman
Education for Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, Phuong Vu Lan Hoang
Environmental Discrimination: Watershed Councils as Environmental Justice Advocates in Alaska, Jessica Kayser
Breaking the Silence: On Developing a Culturally Relevant Native American Youth Sexual Violence Prevention Curriculum, Nina Kunimoto
Renewing Community Food Sovereignty Through Urban Agriculture in Havana, Cuba and Mexico City, Mexico, Amy Linzie
Improving and Broadening Organization Collaborations to Reduce Human Trafficking: A Program Constraints Assessment and Opportunities Identification, Katie Nicole McLaughlin
``Vive y Déjà Vivir : Food Sovereignty in the Talamanca Region of Costa Rica”, Molly Meehan
The Affected: The Nicaraguan Ex-Banana Workers Movement’s Struggle for Indemnification & Government Assistance from DBCP Exposure, Scott P. Montegna
Gleaning Reinvented: What Possibilities Might a Traditional Model Offer To A Modern Local Effort?, Sara Jane Novak
Sustainability of the Fair Trade Movement: YUAB Case Study, Elizabeth Peery
Transformation of the Royal University of Bhutan: Policy, Challenges, and Recommendations, Tshering Pemo
Advocating for Women’s Empowerment: Highlighting the linkages among gender inequality, malnutrition and food insecurity, Carolyn Ramsdell
The impact of the Conservation International Indonesia’s on the sustainability of coffee farmers’ community in Dairi Regency, North Sumatera Indonesia, Ramainim Saragih
Evaluating United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: The prospects for Peace and Development in the 21st Century, Philip John Taiwo
A “Best Practices” Framework for Assessing Faith Based Short-term International Projects, Joyce Thompson
Factors That Prohibit Women’s Access to HIV/AIDS Testing, Counseling, and Other Services in the State of Vermont: A Case Study of Women in Windham County, Advine Tugumisirize
Strategic Planning For The Improvement Of The Development Efforts Of A Guatemalan Faith-Based Nongovernment Organization, Vianney Adilia Vásquez Calderón
Coalition for a Livable Future: A Regional Approach to Addressing Equity in a 21st Century Metropolitan Landscape, Shannon Wilson
Eclipsed: Investigating The Impact Of Solar Household Systems On Sustainable Development In Rural India, Garret Takeo Wong
Transitional Housing For Women And Families: A Case Study Of The Turning Point Transitional Housing Program., Kwaku Osafo Yeboah
Evaluation and Monitoring at The Institute for Global Education and Service Learning, Jenna L. Zorn
Submissions from 2009
Community Food Security for Vermont: Local Solutions to the Global Food Crisis, Richard Berkfield
A Case Study Of The Campaign To Decriminalize Therapeutic Abortion In Nicaragua, Jonit Bookheim
Is Collaboration Always Best? A Close Look at Collaboration Efforts in Pursat, Cambodia, Laura R. Bradley
Rethinking Corruption and anti-corruption: Lessons from the Change Habits Oppose Corruption (CHOC) Program in Cameroon, Nkwenti Francis Che
Media-Based Monitoring and Evaluation for Grassroots Organizations, Wendy Fri Cross
Livestock Policy and Institutional Environment in Ethiopia: implications for fodder policy and adoption, Messaye Taddele Dessie
Participatory Approach from Theory to Practice Case Study: Practical Action Project, Blue Nile State, Sudan, Amy Elhadi
The Correlation of Socio-Economic Status to Consumption Using Greenhouse Gas Emissions as a Measurement, Stephanie B. Freeman
Ensuring Low-Income Californians Access to Green Job Training And Education: Advocating for Amendments to State Senate Bill, Amanda Lane Henry
A Path to Maternal Health: Fostering Positive Interest in Midwifery and Skilled Birth Attendants, Rachel Ellsbeth Hien
Rural development for conflict resolution in the DR Congo Case study of North-Kivu, Jeanne d’Arc Mihigo
Two Rights Don't Make a Wrong: The Dichotomy between Civil and International Rights of the African-American Community in the United States, Fariduddin Muhammad
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Service Seeking Practices and Preference of Young People: Nambale Sub-county, Iganga District, Uganda, Rebecca Persis Mukaire
Closing the Loop: Community Gardening in Boulder, Colorado, Colleen O’Holleran
All Carrots And No Sticks: A Case Study Of Environment Maryland’s Restore The Chesapeake Bay Campaign, Kim Peabody
Enough Already! A Case Study on the Ya Basta! Coalition’s Action to Stop the Raids, Libby Quintana
Capoeira: Movement towards Social Change in Salvador, Brazil, Scott T. Robbins
Promoting the Steady State Economy: My Contributions to an Education Based Advocacy Campaign, Deborah Schober
Sustainable Scholarships: A Study Of Cash Transfers In Villa Garcia, Zacatecas, Mexico, Scarlett Shaffer
Reconnecting With Our Food: The Community Food Security Project of Brattleboro, Elizabeth Sheehan
Program Constraints Assessment of the Safe Water Options Component of BRAC’s Wash Program, M. Matthew Styslinger
Monitoring as a Management Tool in Development Programs Case Study: Equatorial Guinea Malaria Control Initiative (EGMCI) and Bioko Malaria Control Project (BIMCP), Roland Kimbi Wango
The Experience of Urban Youth in Chelsea, Massachusetts: A Look at the Traditional Public School System, Laura Weiland
When Access Isn’t Enough: Leveraging Telecenters for Sustainable Development in Egypt, Jonathon A. Williams
Submissions from 2008
The Clean Development Mechanism In The Caribbean: Lessons Learned From The Wind Farm Projects In The Dominican Republic And Jamaica, Francisco J. Burgos
Consumer Attitudes Towards Residential Photovoltaic Power In Western Massachusetts, Will Carswell
Sustaining action: building capacity for self-monitoring in community management. Committees for the TOSTAN empowered communities network, Cody N. Donahue
Improving Maternal Health in Oaxaca, Mexico: Policies and Recommendations, Jenna M. Farley
Is Achieving Sustainability Possible Through Institutions Of Higher Education?, Amber Garrard
Jamaican Agriculture And Rural Development: Understanding The Young Farmers Of Today, Juliana Goodlaw
Maasai Youth: Careers at the Margins, Kakuta Ole Maimai Hamisi
Integrating Conservation into the Tourist Experience: A Case Study of Lindblad Expeditions’ On-board Fundraising Program for the Galapagos Conservation Fund, Alison Kathleen Hillegeist
Designing A Monitoring And Evaluation System: A Case Study Of A Parent Advocate Program New Monitoring And Evaluation System, Carol Osorio-Flores Hodgman
An External Evaluation: A Case Study of a Design and Implementation Process, Asma Kiran
Case Study: The Impact Of Multiple Partnerships On Client Participation In A Bolivian NGO, Jaclyn Kordell
Enhancing Project Management through Multi-level Participation in Monitoring and Evaluation: The Northern Mountain Poverty Reduction Project in Vietnam, Nguyen Van Manh
To Build Trust: A Psychosocial Inquiry into the Final Status Issues of the Israel/Palestine Conflict in the West Bank, Brian S. Miner
A Common Thread: Coalition Building through Advocacy Planning, Carey A. Morgan
End refugee warehousing:, Angela W. Muthee
Pesticide Use in Thailand: Policy Analysis and Recommendations, Phana Nakkharach
Small and Medium Enterprises in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam An examination of problems and prospects, Yen Trung Pham
Using the Internet and a Youth Exchange Project between the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel to Foster Development through Communication, Pablo Daniel Pitcher
The URBANET Trade Justice Campaign in Ghana: A Case Study of Efforts to Involve Indigenous Farmers in Advocacy, Masud Aziz Rauf
Looking Backward, Moving Forward: Success-Based Capacity Building in Rural Brazil, Blake H. Schmidt
Innovative Development Initiatives: Area Based Management Development Program, The South Durban Basin, Julia Slocum
Malawian Secondary School Prevention Program on HIV/AIDS: An examination of youth’s perceptions of assertiveness, a component of Life Skills Education for overcoming the problem., Luwiza Soko Puleni
The Future of Forestry Certification: Struggles over Livelihood and Conservation, Kelly Stoddard
Social Remittances: An Ecuadorian Case Study, Soren Christopher Szczepanek
Obstacles and Approaches to Gender Equality in Sri Lanka, Mitch Teberg
“Money is Vanity but We Need It to Survive": Tourism and Development in the Talamanca Region of Costa Rica, Justin Thomas
Kindle Farm Children’s Services: An Examination of Its Impact on the Children, Prem P. Timsina
Local Foods And Low-Income Communities: Expanding Access To Farmers’ Markets, Megan Van de Mark
The Thin Line Between Influence And Interference: Lessons Learned from an Examination of US Democracy Promotion Efforts in Bolivia, Elliot D. Williams
Beyond Mass Action: A Study Of Collective Organizing Among Liberian Women Using Feminist Movement Perspectives, Korto Williams
The Effectiveness And Development Sustainability Of NGOs’ Approach To Modernizing Ecological Issues: A Case Study Of The Sustainable Colorado Water Caucus’ Initiatives, I Made Anom Wiranata
Submissions from 2007
Development Or Disintegration: A Social Impact Focus Of Ecotourism In Costa Rica, Mandy Aaberg
Faith in International Development – an Islamic Perspective, Shodi Abdulvasiev
Advocacy in Myanmar: Planning for Save the Children, Khin Mar Aung
Socially Engaged Spirituality: Spiritual Motivation For Social Change In Delegations To The Bajo Lempa Region Of El Salvador, Michelle Balek