Public Heath and Health Education Kick Off 41st Anniversary of Capstones

By Purnell T. Cropper | April 20, 2010

Arcadia University’s 41-year tradition of Capstone projects kicks off today, April 20, with graduate fieldwork thesis presentations by students in the Public Health and Health Education master’s programs from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Grey Towers Castle Rose and Mirror Rooms.

The largest number of presentations is on Thesis Day, Friday, April 30, a day reserved for thesis presentations with no undergraduate instruction scheduled. One of the longstanding traditions on Thesis Day is the Senior Thesis Art Exhibit. Poster presentations also abound, filling up the Kuch Gymnasium as well as other academic buildings. For a complete schedule, visit www.arcadia.edu/seniorcapstone.

Capstone presentations are open to the public, and the campus community, along with family and friends, are encouraged to attend.

There are several different ways in which student work is showcased. These methods parallel the ways in which professional meetings are held and include the following:

  • Poster presentations: A poster presentation is just as it sounds. The research project is summarized on a poster. Many of these posters are displayed at one time. When attending a poster show, visitors can walk around and stop at posters asking the presenter questions about his or her work. Students are encouraged to stand next to or near their posters for the majority of the poster show time so that they can answer questions.
  • Oral presentations: Other departments have students give oral presentations of their projects. These may be in the form of multimedia presentations and include power point, video or music.
  • Creative presentations: One of the highlights of Friday is the Senior Thesis Art Exhibit, which takes place in Spruance Fine Arts Center. Visitors can walk around and see paintings, ceramics, jewelry and other displays of student artwork. Just like the poster show, visitors are encouraged to talk to the students about their work.