Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection

First and foremost, I would like to begin by saying that not only has this project been one of the most challenging ones I have ever taken on, but it has also been one of the most rewarding. The point of this project began by wanting to explore the way police officers perceive social justice movements relating to police brutality. I sat down with a total of four current police officers and asked each of them the same set of questions in relation to their perceptions of Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, and the Defund the Police movements. The idea for this project sparked in my mind after all of the events and riots that occurred back in 2020, sparking protests worldwide. These protests were not only about police brutality but also about the treatment of Black Americans and other minorities when confronted by law enforcement.  I am taking a grounded theory approach to this paper, as my point was to go out and conduct my own research and gain my own first-hand knowledge from none other than the officers themselves. I am doing this to understand how they perceive these movements all around them, as well as how they understand police brutality themselves. In this project, I will ultimately tell the stories of 9 voices on police brutality and what they perceive justice to be in situations of extreme injustice, and loss of life. I would also like to clarify the fact that two out of these four victims were not killed by officers themselves, but the officers were complicit in the wrongdoings. I feel that no matter what the color of your skin is, it is important that we all understand and grasp the depth of this issue, as the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans has been much higher and is currently standing at 5.9 fatal shootings per million of the population per year between 2015 and March 2023 (Statista, 2023). Between 2015 and 2022, there have been approximately 2,146 recorded police officer deaths according to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. We as a society cannot keep living like this, and the sooner we understand the root of the problem, the sooner we can begin to create a pathway to have these difficult discussions needed for true social change.  

The concept of rape has been a prominent part of historical U.S. criminal law, and legislation and statutes have changed significantly over time. Despite numerous reforms, however, there is still a lack of reporting, arrests, and convictions for sexual assault cases. This is due to several factors influencing the judgement of criminal justice actors, such as how cases are handled by police officers and prosecutors, who decide whether to further investigate a case, send the case to prosecution for sentencing, or bring the case to trial. Some of these influences include legal and extra-legal factors and certain beliefs or assumptions about sexual assault victims, which affect these officials’ discretionary decisions. As a result, criminal justice officials tend to dismiss or unfound a sexual assault case, especially with acquaintance rape, contributing to the substantial lack of arrests and convictions. These facts, which are examined in the paper, emphasize the need to reassess our criminal justice system's current response to sexual assault cases. This includes adjusting the evaluation markers for prosecutors, improving the communication between the relevant criminal justice actors, and implementing evaluations of prosecutorial ethics and community satisfaction.

Stoicism is a philosophy that emerged in the Hellenistic Age, between 323 BCE and 30 BCE in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (Irvine, 2009). Stoicism was born into an exceptionally transitional social and political time period, and three major philosophers, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, rose to fame and established this manner of interacting with the world around them. These teachings and writings, still read throughout the world today due to their practicality and effectiveness, provide a major framework for “(It is [Stoicism]) the power of the mind to be unconquerable,” (Seneca, The Stoic Letters). Stoicism can be used as a tool in the pursuit of perseverance, wisdom, self control, and self mastery, which can ultimately lead to a more fulfilling and happy life. This philosophy is a practical one, and is designed with the intention to help those who practice it live well rather than just provide a theoretical understanding of the teaching of the world. Stoicism is a way to interact with others and the world in a way that reduces the amount of suffering experienced and can increase the capacity for joy. As a high achieving college student, it may not be feasible or entirely practical to live as Stoics did in the ancient world. Yet, aspects of ancient Stoicism can still be applied to modern-day living and can be used to make college students more resilient, happier, and allow them to live a fuller, more satisfied life. In this 7 week asynchronous program designed for high achieving college students, we will explore the most common barriers to happiness that college students face and explore what Stoic philosophies offer to help remedy these barriers.

The nonprofit sector exists as one of three working groups which contribute to the flow of the economy and society. Unlike the government and for-profit sectors, the nonprofit world has faced a growing responsibility alongside a lack of emphasis on the sector’s importance. Nonprofits have often faced a lack of resources needed to combat these gaps. However, since Covid-19, resources have been diminishing even further. These resources can be identified as a variety of elements, from volunteers and paid staff to funds and access to overseas goods and services. A case study of the world-renowned Make-A-Wish Foundation and its Arizona Chapter perfectly illustrates the journey back to full mission-accomplishment in present times through their actions taken to combat common sector struggles. This case study proves importance of the nonprofit sector, accompanied by a call for education and re-emphasis of the nonprofit sector.

Regicide is a full-length fantasy novel whose world and plot are influenced by the Western Zodiac. It is a coming of age story that reflects an individual's changing views as they come to understand society, religion, and the history of the place where they were born. The book blurb is as follows: "When the king of Celestial Kingdom is murdered and the culprit is unknown, Vernalia Novoa is called to help fill the void his death has created. Though ill-equipped to run a kingdom, she shoulders the burdens as one of the last living Pisces capable of fulfilling the immense responsibilities. With the struggle between doing her job, finding a new ruler, and uncovering the truth about what happened to her people, the passed king’s infamous words echo: people are not always what we hope for them to be."

This thesis will encompass the chemical, social, cultural, and even religious significance and history of Henna. Henna is a natural paste made out of dried henna leaves which is then mixed with other ingredients such as lemon juice, tea, essential oils, and sugar. Depending on the region, everyone uses a different recipe and ratios due to the different climates. Henna has been used for celebrations such as weddings in Western Asia, the Middle East, and even Africa. Henna has also been used in religious celebrations for Muslims such as Eid. The practice of henna application has proven to be a uniting factor in multiple cultures, as women gather to get their henna done for celebrations and joyful occasions. Despite its cultural significance, henna was actually used medicinally in ancient times due to its cooling properties. People used to dye the soles of their feet, and hands during the summer in order to cool down their bodies. Slowly, henna became more of a beauty factor and women began to make designs with it to adorn themselves. Applying henna is a lengthy process. Henna must dry for about 30 minutes before one is able to continue with daily routine. Then the henna must be wrapped after being soaked in a lemon sugar solution. This must remain for 5+ hours in order to achieve the desired intensity of the stain. However, once the dry henna is taken off, no water must touch the premature stains for 24 hours since this is when the henna begins to oxidize and the color begins to darken. It takes 48 hours for the henna stain to fully mature. Due to this, chemical henna, otherwise known as “instant henna” has been created to make that dark mature stain in a matter of a few hours, sometime even minutes. There are two downsides: the first being that the stain does not last 1-2 weeks like the natural henna does, the second being it is a major health risk. Most of these prepackaged chemical henna cones contain additives that are used to dye hair. This dye is not meant to be used on skin, so many people have gotten chemical burns due to this. It can even lead to full-on allergic reactions resulting in hospital-stays. The use of chemical henna not only poses health risks, but it also diminishes the value of henna and what it stands for. This project will dive into the following questions: How does henna stain the skin? How has Henna impacted women throughout the world? What is the artistic significance of Henna? What aspects of Henna have allowed it to be integrated into cultures throughout the years? How can one avoid the use of chemical henna, and what kind of potential risks arise from this?