Impact of Emotional Intelligence and Managing Mental Health in the Workplace

Emily Albano, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Business Management, and minors in Finance and Marketing

In my spring semester I had the opportunity to take MGT 320 as an honors course, led by Dr. Holly Bonner. When I proposed my capstone idea to her at the beginning of the semester, she welcomed me with open arms and was ecstatic to allow me to join her in all parts of her work. Dr. Bonner is a well-known figure in the community, both academically and culturally. The number of accolades she has is far too many to list; I knew I had chosen a professor who would be able to add to my college experience far beyond any I had before.

In the Organizational Behavior honors course, I able to gain new experiences in all sectors of the world, each tying back into the curriculum. Dr. Bonner had me shadow her in her preparation for this year's social work conference that took place on March 24th, 2024. Dr. Bonner allowed me to help her prepare her speech, and do interactive preparation for public speaking, along with reviewing her research to make sure it would appeal and be understandable to the public.

A core ideal in Organizational Behavior is addressing the work place, and how to get higher ups to properly communicate with their employees while avoiding noise. Dr. Bonner allowed me to have firsthand experiences in the method, something the ordinaries of the textbook could never give me.

Another important concept that is heavily emphasized in Organizational Behavior in DEIA. This acronym breaks down into Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. Diversity encompasses the range of human differences, including race, gender, ability, and more, while equity seeks fair treatment and access to resources for all individuals. Inclusion promotes embracing people of diverse backgrounds, and accessibility ensures equal access to information and services, creating environments that are welcoming and equitable for everyone. Dr. Bonner’s entire teaching style resembles this concept and she is constantly trying to get her students and the community involved with one another.

Along with the numerous informative lectures on the topic, Dr. Bonner allowed a group of students and me to help in this year’s Beeping Egg Hunt held at the Lavelle School for the Blind. This event is for people of all abilities; however, it specially caters to the visually impaired, the blind and disabled. The eggs beep, allowing everyone to participate and be engaged in a tradition that children with disabilities may miss out on. My classmates and I made candy filled eggs to circle the beeping eggs for children to find. This was just another hands-on experience that Dr. Bonner provided to help amplify the classroom.

My experience in MGT 320 with Dr. Holly Bonner was enriching and impactful. Through her guidance, I gained valuable insights into Organizational Behavior and learned about the importance of DEIA principles in fostering inclusive and accessible environments. Dr. Bonner's teaching style, coupled with hands-on experiences like the beeping egg hunt, provided a practical understanding of these concepts and their real-world applications. I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a respected figure in academia and the community, and I'm confident that the lessons I've gained will continue to influence my personal and professional growth in the future.

The Interplay Between Anxiety and Anesthesia

Nicole Gelfand, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

Reflecting on my capstone experience, I am filled with a sense of fulfillment and growth. I worked alongside Professor Danielle Hunton from the Nursing department, and learned about the relationships between anxiety and anesthesia. This project helped me unravel their complexities, and explore the pivotal role of nursing in mitigating anxiety effects so patients have a better experience with anesthesia. This exploration holds immense significance for me as I aspire to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

My journey commenced with a curiosity and desire to deepen my understanding of the physiological and psychological dynamics at play when anxiety meets anesthesia. I embarked on extensive reviews of literature to grasp the nuances of this interplay. From my knowledge learned through my nursing school journey as well as the information presented from my research, I gathered information regarding the types and levels of anxiety, the proper ways to assess them, and the effect it has on anesthesia administration and recovery, as well as what nurses can do to help relieve a patient’s feelings of anxiety.

Through this process, I not only enriched my knowledge but also cultivated a critical lens through which to analyze clinical scenarios. Moreover, my capstone experience illuminated the indispensable role of nurses in one's surgical journey, especially when experiencing anxiety. Nurses help serve as advocates for patient-centered care and are in a unique position to help assess, intervene, and support patients throughout the anesthesia process. Whether this is done through therapeutic communication, pharmacological intervention, or relaxation techniques, nurses play an important role in alleviating anxiety and promoting positive surgical outcomes.

As I conclude my capstone reflection, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for the opportunities and insight I gathered throughout this journey. My exploration of the interplay between anxiety and anesthesia has not only deepened my passion for anesthesia nursing but also reinforced my commitment to education for patient well-being and safety. With this newfound knowledge, I am able to embark on the next chapter of my journey toward becoming a CRNA, equipped to navigate the complexities of anesthesia practice with compassion, competence, and integrity.

Creation of Pokémon World Champion Edition

Michael Aurilia, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Computer Science

This project has been a journey filled with challenges, creativity, and growth. As I reflect on the development process, I am inspired by the amount of work I was able to complete in a short time span. While there were portions of the project that had to be omitted due to time constraints, I am satisfied with the current version of the project.

At the outset, my vision was clear: to develop a Java-based application that would replicate the experience of 6V6 Pokémon battles. However, as I worked on the project, I realized the intricacies involved in translating the rich mechanics of Pokémon games into a digital simulation. From designing the battle engine to implementing move sets, each aspect demanded careful consideration and attention to detail.

One of the most significant challenges I faced was finding a balance between authenticity and accessibility. While I wanted to stay true to the core mechanics of the Pokémon games, I also recognized the need to streamline certain aspects, such as accuracy and status effects that make the player lose a turn to ensure a smooth and enjoyable user experience. Another challenge I experienced during the creation of this project was translating the code for Java to C# for Unity integration. As I attempted to make this change, I realized that it would be too complex for the time I had remaining, so I made the choice to leave it out of this version of the project. Finishing this translation would have meant better visuals for the project such as a background scene, music, animations, etc. so while it would have been nice to have, the project is still functional on its own.

I plan to evolve and improve this platform to provide the best possible experience for the users. In the future, I would like to add in the previously mentioned scrapped features so that it more closely resembles the mainline Pokémon games that the code simulates. I would also like to add more Pokémon for the user to choose from to provide a different gameplay experience for each user.

In closing, the creation of the Pokémon World Champion Edition project taught me a great deal about the creation of object-oriented projects. I learned time management skills that will also help me in future coding endeavors. While the project didn’t turn out perfectly, over all I am still pleased with how I was able to create this program for others to enjoy.

 

Research Journey Exploring Cow Emotion

Arianna Brillante, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, & Behavioral)

Completing an independent research project under the guidance of a mentor has been a fulfilling and exciting experience, and I am so grateful for the connection that I made with my mentor Dr. Ann Etsey.

However, it was also daunting at times due to the overwhelming amount of information and resources to choose from. This work pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me acquainted with putting myself out there and having my ideas challenged. I spent a majority of days reading countless papers and journals, trying to piece together information in a cohesive manner. Receiving feedback on my work was beyond helpful and made me aware of small details and crucial formatting choices that I would not have thought of myself.

Exploring cow emotion deepened my understanding of animal behavior and cognition, which is a topic that has always interested me and will guide me into my journey of veterinary school. Through this process, I learned so much that I never would have made the effort to read about if it weren’t for the capstone project. Creating a scientific review and browsing existing literature provided me with foundational knowledge on the subject, but also brought gaps in knowledge to light.

I found that there are a lack of studies done on animal emotion and that regulating their treatment on farms are scarily absent. I knew that understanding cow emotion is crucial from a scientific perspective, but I realized its importance from an ethical standpoint. This research increased my awareness of animal cognition and made me more conscious of the choices I make when purchasing and consuming meat products. I started off my capstone with the broad subject of animal emotion and ended up in an interconnected web of the emotional lives of cows and their welfare and treatment in the food industry.

Overall, this research project has been an amazing experience and learning opportunity and I hope that my work can help in making a difference towards a better future for animals in agriculture.

 

The Health of AI in the Medical Field

Robert Wetz, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Computer Science

My thesis concerned the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the medical field. I decided to choose writing a thesis for my capstone as it is something I had never done before, and I believed that I would be able to cover my topic in depth.

Upon starting my thesis, I was completely lost on where to begin. I knew what I wanted to write about and had done some research already, but starting it had proven to be the most difficult part. It was not until I met with my mentor that I was steered in the right direction and had a path to follow.

With that guidance, I began my thesis and made some headway. However, having never written a thesis before, I was unaware of all the different aspects there were in comparison to that of a college paper, something that I was very familiar with at that point in my college career. The most notable difference was how references were handled and how much they were emphasized in a thesis. Although it slowed my progress down a bit, it added a level of professionality that I had never considered outside of the references that I used to in college papers.

During this process, I also learned about the resources available through the CSI database and how expansive it is, encompassing a large number of topics. The final and most important part that I discovered when working on my capstone was simply the dedication it takes to complete. When starting out, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of content I would have to write about and I had no idea if I would even be able to complete something of this size. However, along with my mentor’s assistance, I was able to keep at it and took it piece by piece and soon enough the end was in sight. 

Something I was unprepared for in this process was how rewarding it would feel to complete it. Being able to go from nothing at all to something tangible and be a part of that process left me feeling accomplished in what I have done. Although my thesis is completed, there is room for future developments.

My thesis discusses various aspects of AI in healthcare, including its work in the field of cancer, radiology, and drug discovery. However, that only scratches the surface that AI has made within such a vast field. If I were to continue this research, different applications of AI in the medical field could be discussed or even new innovations that have come out since completing my thesis. 

Overall, I am grateful to have completed this capstone because I learned not only about AI’s impact in the field of medicine, but I also learned a lot about myself in the process.