Under the guidance of a faculty advisor, seniors design their project, conduct research,and present drafts, all leading to the completion of a significant piece of original work. The final step in the comp process is to defend one’s project in front of an affiliated faculty panel. Seniors also present their results at the department’s annual Senior Project Symposium.
This comprehensive project demonstrates to employers and graduate schools the ability to complete a major assignment, to work independently and creatively, to analyze and synthesize information, and to write and speak persuasively.
The senior comp in COMJ may take a variety of forms. Community Based inquiry is a common approach that often involves the development, in partnership with community,of a sustainable initiative or project. For example, a recent senior comp investigated the feasibility of and oversaw the implementation of a Time Trade initiative in Meadville. Other senior comps may investigate an important social question through a theoretical or philosophical framework.
Senior Projects
“A Glance into Former Faculty and Staff of Color’s Experiences Working at Allegheny College”
“An Exploration of Black Women Collegiate Experiences Impacted by Black Greek-Letter Organizations attending Predominantly White Institutions”
“COVID-19 Pandemic Disparities Through the Eyes of Working Mothers”
“Police Free Schools to Restore the Harm: Centering Black Female students in Restorative Justice Programs in D.C. Public and Charter Schools”
“The Understanding of Educational Advocacy as Displayed Throughout the Foster Care System”
“Education Inequality in Youngstown, Ohio”
“Where’s the apology? For letting students with Autism fall off the cliff without proper resources to lead them in higher education”
“Fouling Out: A Community Reflection on the Academic Ejection of Black Male Student-Athletes”
“Finding Meaning through Youth Organizing: A Politics of Belonging in Meadville”
“A is for Activism, Z is for Zombies: Social Change in Disney Movies”
“Supporting Student Survivors: The Analysis and Creation of a Trauma-Informed Resource for Sexual Violence Survivors at Allegheny College”
“Reimagining Civic Engagement: An Analysis of Civic Engagement Culture at Allegheny College through the Lens of Student Voice”
“Towards a New Imaginary of Belonging and Resistance”
“There’s a U in Student: Service Politics, Student Autonomy, and the Anti-Apartheid Student Movement at Allegheny College”
“Adulthood without Childhood: Discourses Surrounding and Impacting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care”
“Implementing Time Trade in Meadville: Best Practices and Process”
“Building a Hoophouse with Creating Landscapes for Families”
“Intersectionality and the Construction of Racial Identity in African American Youth”