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
A Strategic Plan for a Community Based Organization, The Vollintine Evergreen Community Association, Marcus George Falion
A Case Study of Child Trends: Research as the Backbone of Policy, Megan Fletcher
Strategic-Management Of Service-Learning In Higher Education: Trends Of Private Four-Year Institutions, Audra Grady
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
A Case Study On Intra-Organizational Cooperation: Combining Resources To Leverage Impact, Talia Aliza Levin Kaplan
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
Love-Based Accountability: Lessons Learned From the Environmental Service Learning Initiative, Ei Ei Khin
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
The Changing Face Of Human Resources Management In The Gulf Region: An Oman And UAE Perspective, Mahbub Rahman
Food, Farms and Jobs: A Case Study of the Advocacy Campaign for Local Food Systems in Illinois, Lindsay Record
Taking The Lead On A Leash: Organizational Capacity Built Into The Proposal Development Process, James Riviere
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
Do I have any volunteers? An assessment of the implementation of a small-scale volunteer program at Volunteer NH, Kara Swedlow
“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
Humanitarian Security Management: A Case-Study Of Care International In The West Bank And Gaza Strip, Joshua Thew
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
Power and Players: How Immigrants’ Rights Social Movement Organizations Identify and Categorize the Players in Their Environments, Sanderson Wright
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
Individual and Family Impacts of a Community Job Training Program: A Case Study of Shoreline Goodwill’s Retail Customer Service Training Program, Brandon Lindsey
A Competitive Advantage and Strategy: A Case Analysis for Oro Savings and Sharing Cooperative, Rolando Idano Mesias
High Impact-Based Short Term Projects Monitoring and Evaluation (HIB-STP M&E), Lawrence K. Mugisha
Theory Into Practice: Experiential Training From the USA to Burma, David Root
Misrepresentation in Lowell, Massachusetts: The Conflict over Changing the City’s Voting System, Kara Sacco
Teaching Sustainability Through Alternative Education: A Case Study, Brian Schwadron
Behind The Movement: The Strategic Plan Supporting a National Grassroots Effort to Mobilize Young People for Sustainable Social Change, Chantal Landis Sheehan
Global Dance Educators: Their Experiences in Minnesota and Beyond, Susie Sherman
Multicultural Adaptation: A Reflection Of Nepali Immigrants And Refugees In The Edgewater Neighborhood In Chicagoland, Shyam Shrestha
How Can Institutions of Higher Education Assess the Learning Outcomes of Their Students?, Squeak Stone
Useful Guidelines To Maintain Fundraising In The Small Local NGOs In Northern Vietnam, Long Thap Tran
Shade to Green: A Case Study of a Vermont Dairy Farm’s Transition to Organic, Stephen Veryser
The Entrepreneurial Way Of Life: A Case Study, Jon G. Egan Woods
Submissions from 2008
An Incentive Approach to Natural Resource Management;, Angela Adrar
Lessons from Family Caregivers: Giving Voice to the End-Of-Life Caregiving Experience, Susan Alancraig
A Study of Student Motivations to Study Abroad in Non-Traditional Locations, Catherine Amy Bennett
Challenges Facing Alternative Education in Morocco: Integration of Tamazight in the School System, Mokhtar Bouba
Demystifying Capacity Building: Voices From The Field, Michaela M. Brehm
What We Learned About The Needs Of Unaffiliated Volunteers Who Spontaneously Responded To The 2004 Tsunami In Thailand, Amie Chaudoir
The Health And Social Impacts Of Water Development Projects Within Three Rural Communities In Cambodia, Mark A. Clark
The Effects of Organizational Culture on Public Image and Membership Recruitment at Rotary International, Rebecca Crall
Reaching Orphans and the Most Vulnerable Children in Tanzania: What is Working?, Tait Davidson
Children under Occupation: Trafficking in North India, Sustainable Rehabilitation or Re-Commodification?, Chandni Desai
Providing Effective Mental Health Services For Guatemalan Women In Lynn, MA, Christine A. Drake
Basket Weaving 101: Conditions For Supporting A Trans-Local Learning Community, Aerin M. Dunford
Darfur: As a failure of the nation-state model in Sudan: Education, Law, and Military: the apparatuses of hegemony and oppression, Elsadig Elsheikh
Using Documentary Film as a Tool for Conscientization among Youth: A Case Study at Rumah KAMU Foundation, Mellanie Febrista
Study Abroad: Long-term Career Impact and Professional Applicability, Kimberly U. Franklin
LanguageCorps Teach Abroad Program:, Andy Gavilanes
Echoes of Freedom: The Mission To “Save Darfur” & Implications For Africa, Leon Zagino Gbée
Shaping Our World: The Role of Ethnic Identity in the Education of African Immigrants in Southern Maine, Genet Gebrewahd
Marketing Realities Of Breaking Into The Community Service Abroad Industry, David Greyer
Reciprocidad: A Rural Costa Rican Community’s Evaluation Of An International Service-Learning Program, Troy Donald Henri
Bringing Up an NGO: A Program Constraints Assessment and Evaluation of VEGlobal’s International Volunteer Program, Coletta Hummel
The Impacts Of Employer-Sponsored Adoption Assistance Programs: A Process Analysis, Stephanie Scarritt Hunt
The Perception of Chinese SMEs in the Apparel Industry about Incorporating CSC9000T into their Business Agenda, Chulin Jiang
The Personal Stories of Five Development Practitioners & What They Say About Change, Christopher Jones
A Feasibility Study Of The Fair Trade Tourism Jordan Project, Kimberly A. Karels
Under the Guise: What Special Education for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders can Really Mean, Elizabeth Anne Kenyon
Holistic health & women’s reproductive care: holistic program initiatives for Concord Feminist Health Center, Leigh Ann Knope