Before that coveted Scripps College degree is awarded, each student is required to submit—and receive a passing grade on—a senior thesis. For many, it’s a well-written discourse on a subject they’ve become intimately familiar with as part of their major, while others strike out in other creative ways – multimedia projects, art show installations, and more.
While most thesis experiences culminate in the spring, some are completed in the fall, and for those seniors who have turned in their final draft, it feels like they’re finally on that path toward graduation. We spoke to a handful of such graduates-to-be about the process and their short-term plans now that this milestone has been reached.
Nikki Chang
Chang’s thesis investigates Houston, Texas, and the effect the petrochemical industry has had on those living closest to industrialization:
“It’s strange; for the past three years, thesis had always seemed like this amorphous shape people somewhat understood,” she says. “After finishing my own, however, I have come to realize thesis as a concept; it seems looming because there are so many different paths it can take. I wanted to pursue this knowledge, and though the process was difficult, I am glad I was able to partake on this journey.”
Sara Eliason
“I am very excited to be done,” says Eliason of her thesis experience. “It’s pretty crazy, and more than a little scary, to realize that after turning in thesis, there’s only one semester’s worth of classes that separate me from the real world.”
Eliason’s thesis explores NGOs and women’s development programs in Tanzania: “I knew what I wanted to do with my life – make the world a better place – but the question was how,” she says. “My thesis is an attempt to answer that question.” With that in mind, she’s stacked her spring schedule to maximize the time she can intern, volunteer, and search for a job. That is, if she doesn’t land one during winter break.
Megan Petersen
Petersen’s thesis examines one of the most controversial Supreme Court rulings in history – Dred Scott v. Sandford – and concludes the decision, while a moral failure, demonstrated a good understanding of America’s political and philosophical history regarding race and slavery for that time:
“I feel like everything I’ve done over the last three-and-a-half years has been building up to this,” she says. “All of my favorite classes have come together as I’ve worked on my thesis, which has been exciting to see; thinking about the United States’ racial history in this way could dramatically change the way we talk about race relations today.”
Petersen graduates a semester early and is already prepared to enter the workforce. “I’m also hoping to take some time to spend with family and friends back home in North Dakota.”
Elisabeth Pfeiffer
“I am prepared … for what will come after Scripps,” says Pfeiffer, who also graduates this fall. “I definitely will miss the friends I have made while here, though.”
Pfeiffer completes her education with a thesis written about the multiple layers of Munich, Germany. “It’s composed of a series of creative nonfiction narratives in which I navigate questions about identity and place, as well as my experiences writing in the city.”
As for writing, Pfeiffer is ready to tackle that job professionally: “I am hoping to return to the San Francisco Bay Area and would love to work in communications, marketing, and/or public relations.”
Madeleine Wills
A dual major in psychology and French, Wills’ thesis draws on her study abroad experience. “I held an English teaching internship and experienced firsthand French public education,” she says. “I was immediately intrigued by the differences between their system and our own in the U.S., and I knew I wanted to explore the psychological basis for the differences.”
Wills is eager to cross the finish line: “I am proud of the substantial body of work I was able to create in a semester,” she says. “If anything, this experience has taught me how no one achieves anything alone.” An early graduate, she will travel to Washington, D.C., in January to live and explore before embarking on a master’s in education.
Above (clockwise from left): Allison Marie Slater, Sara Eliason, Madeleine Wills