For the past 14 years, the spring semester at Scripps has culminated in a celebration of graduating seniors’ theses and final projects—the acme of the thinking, writing, and research they’ve been doing as they’ve worked toward their degrees.
This year, Capstone Day took place online for the second year running, but the theses—which were nominated by faculty—had the same depth of intellectual inquiry and creative expression as ever.
“Capstone Day 2021 showcased the intellectual rigor and joy our students bring to their senior theses,” says Associate Dean of Faculty Jennifer Armstrong. “I was inspired by all that our students have accomplished in the face of the relentless challenges of these past 14 months. The presentations were exceptional, clearly revealing that while we have been physically remote, our students have been completely and utterly engaged in their academic life. One of the unexpected benefits of functioning remotely was that Capstone Day 2021 was fully inclusive and accessible.”
The 63 theses spanned 27 disciplines and included topics as diverse as: state-sponsored surveillance on Muslim American political expression; legacies of Maroon resistance; the effect of wildfires on the labor market of the California agricultural industry; critical analyses of female characters in classical texts; music recitals; a neurological study on autism; and art presentations.
Capstone Day 2021 also included a ceremony recognizing 37 new Scripps College inductees into Phi Beta Kappa, the national honor society for academic excellence in the arts and sciences.
“When our seniors began at Scripps, we never anticipated that they would be navigating a remote senior year,” Armstrong says. “Their resilience, tenacity, and positivity has been an inspiration. I am thrilled that Capstone Day 2021 was able to provide an opportunity for friends, family, and the Scripps College community to celebrate their hard work and success.”