The following Honors theses were written by students in Gardner-Webb University's Honors Program from 2016-present. Print copies of Honors Theses from 1987-present are available in the Gardner-Webb University library's Reference section. View full list in the library's catalog.
Theses/Dissertations from 2025
Electronic Propulsion Engines: Revolutionizing Space Travel, Isaiah Echeverria
Brain On Drugs: The Rewarding and Punishing Effects of Addiction and Relapse, Abby Ferrell
Panem et Circenses: Entertainment and Empires in The Hunger Games Series, Sydney G. Hudson
The Physiological Effects of Anabolic Steroids on the Human Body, Aedan Kerr
Hwæt! How Fantasy Audiobooks Can Take Inspiration From The Middle Ages, Morgan C. Lilly
Healthcare Consolidation: Effects on Corporate and Private Healthcare Facilities, Kaydence N. McDonald
Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Celiac Disease, Kendall N. Reece
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Food Allergies, the Immune Response, and Preventative Treatments: Milk, Egg, and Shellfish Allergies, Marissa DiMatteo
Todos las naciones, tribus, pueblos y lenguas: The Growing Need of Hispanic Protestant Churches in the United States, Paula Harvie
SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity, and Interaction with ACE2 in the Human Oral Cavity: A Comprehensive Study, Blake Joseph Henkel
Rhetorical Demagoguery: An Exploration of Trump’s and Hitler’s Rise to Power, Tanner Horne
Dying Is the Easiest Part: Implications of Palliative Care in America, Sophia Jordan
From Heel to Toe: Investigating Plantar Fasciitis Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Strategies, Breanna Littlejohn
Demonstration of Nonviolence in Modern Day: Through the Lens of Christianity, Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, Lauren Mertz
TikTok and Self-Diagnosing Mental Illnesses: Perceived Reliability Factors, Vulnerabilities, and Dangers, Micah Moulder
External Support Structures in Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing, Adam Mystkowski
Influencing Others: How Can We Benefit Society?, Caleb Roten
The Power of Portrayal: How the U.S. Media Portrayed the Doolittle Raid to the American Public, James Noah Seip
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
American Sign Language (ASL): Linguistically and Cognitively - Why Deaf People Should Learn ASL & Learn it Early, Helena Isabel Berczes
Prospective Generation Z Nurses: Expectation of the Workforce in Connotation to the Great Resignation, Amelia Borders
The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Various Aspects of Child and Adolescent Lives: A Literature Review, Alissa Carpenter
Neurobiology of PTSD in Adults and Children: The Impact of Stress-Induced Brain Abnormalities Across the Lifespan, Catherine Clover
NSAIDs and Oral Drug Absorption: Ibuprofen through a Pharmacokinetic Lens, Courtney Gant
How does the Ergogenic Benefits, Consumption, and Overall Perspective of Caffeine Differ between Athletes in Different Sports?, Steven Laflamme
Huntington’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Overview of Treatments, Madison Mintz
Porifera: Biology and Medicinal Properties, Emma L. Rayfield
Parental Instincts: The Neurological and Biological Factors Associated with Parenthood, Jared Reeder
The COVID-19 Pandemic and its Influence on the Human Immune System, Nicole L. Riha
Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis: Diphenhydramine vs. Fexofenadine, Lauren Setzer
Doing Death Better: Practical Ways for Healthcare Professionals to Care for the Dying Patient and Their Families, Andrea Wilson
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
An Exploration of Secular and Christian Political Thought, Elizabeth Bradley
African-American Men in Modern U.S. Basketball and Football: The Exploitation of Collegiate Athletes and Underrepresentation in Coaching, Sydney Burroughs
The Theory of Mind Hypothesis of Autism, Kendall Smith
Indicators of Deception: Science or Non-Science, Kristina Vasquez
A Critique of Frederick Nietzsche's Philosophy on Law, God, and Morality, Rebekah Vaughn
Theses/Dissertations from 2020
Analysis of Bacterial DNA and Water Quality: Surface Water Sampling at Gardner-Webb University, Celsea Reeder
The Positive and Negative Effects of Photography on Wildlife, Joy Smith
Theses/Dissertations from 2019
Risk Benefit Analysis of Treatments for Cystic Acne, Callie Elliott
More Than Growth? A Study of the Additional Functions of Growth Hormone in the Human Body, Damien Chance Hutchins
Screen Time Effects on Pediatrics, Lindsay Michelle McCracken
Blockchain Technology: The Disruption and Impact to the Accounting Profession, Laine Parker
The Signing Brain: Its Function, Its Dysfunction, and Its Societal Role, Blaire Marie Pope
The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Chronic Disease in Adults: A Systematic Review, Brendan Teeters
Theses/Dissertations from 2018
Perfection: The Fatality of Down Syndrome, Mallory Baucom
The Divine Collaborative Effort: Agency as a Tool for Examining Power and Relationship in the Exodus Narrative, Harley Burgess
I Survived the ICU: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome from Patient and Nursing Perspectives, Catherine Bynum
The Art of the Tweet: How to Change Political Rhetoric in 140 Characters or Less, Alice Byrd
Statistics and Biomechanics: An Interdisciplinary Evaluation of the Mathematical, Practical, and Athletic Applications of Principal Component Analysis, Sydney Grace Davis
Crash and Burnout: The Sophomore Slump in College Athletics, Jessica Ferguson
Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Narrative, and Individual Development, Benjamin Luke Flournoy
A Comparison of Hamstring Injury Recovery Rates in Male and Female Athletes, Amanda Hall
Testing Cr(II)-BTC for Ammonia Adsorption Capabilities: A Research Proposal, Tyler Hemingway
Living Beyond the End: Exploring Postapocalypse and Postmodernism, Aaron G. Hilton
Regeneration of Teeth and Periodental Tissues Using Stem Cells, Joshua A. McKoy
Fake News: Agenda setting and Gatekeeping in the media, Chelsea Sydnor
What Poverty Means For Student Achievement and The Best Practices for Teaching Students in Poverty, Megan White
Theses/Dissertations from 2017
The Interaction of Cyberaggression and Self-Efficacy within the Virtual World and the Real World, Matt Autrey
Move More, Stress Less: Exploring the Relationship between Physical Activity and Test Anxiety in Undergraduate Nursing Students, Ashleigh Cleveland
Alternative Therapies for People with Special Needs: An Emphasis on Animal-Assisted Therapies, Emily Hamilton
Financial Analysis with Artificial Neural Networks Short-term Stock Market Forecasting, Andrew Linzie
Fair Play: Retributive and Distributive Principles in the Soccer Laws of the Game, Josiah Parke
HOPE is a 4-Legged Word: How Service Dogs Can Help Veterans Suffering from Combat-Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Holly Katherine Robinson
A Comparison of Traditional Epidural and Low-Dose Epidural Techniques, Ellen Terry
BSN Students’ Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Simulation-based Learning, Aubrey Winum
Senior BSN Students’ Confidence, Comfort, and Perception of Readiness for Practice, Megan Ashley Wray
Theses/Dissertations from 2016
Alzheimer’s Disease: More Than Just Memory Loss: An Awareness of the Disease and an Active Plan of Coping Strategies and Caregiving, Michelle Lynn Evans
A Feuding House: An Examination of the Causes and Effects of the Decline of Bipartisanship in the United States Congress, Aaron Jackson Horner
Culture Counts: An Analysis of Cultural Awareness and Competency among Nursing Students, Ariel Starr Tate