The 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

When I was tasked with writing my capstone project, I became stuck almost immediately with trying to decide on a topic My advisor suggested thinking about my own experiences, and writing became easy again.

My project focused on emotional intelligence for managers to support mental health within the workplace. This idea came from my personal experience during my student-athlete time and the tragic loss of a female goalie named Katie Meyer, which opened my eyes to the importance of mental health support. That traumatic event helped made me aware of my own struggles and that what I was feeling wasn’t okay. Experiencing a small-scale burnout made me realize just how tough it must be for people who face such stresses and also manage to handle a job. I saw that mental resources were seriously lacking in not only my environment, but in the role that I want to pursue after college. I wanted to explore how emotional intelligence might enable managers to create healthier work settings.

I researched specific programs that train emotional intelligence skills in managers. It would be fascinating to find out whether the companies that received this type of training see improvements in employee satisfaction and retention levels. I would also want to explore how these changes really influence the company culture over time, as more and more employees from the young generation, Generation Z, enter the workforce and place such value on this element of leadership.

What I took away from this study is support for mental health in the workplace is a necessity. The role of the manager plays a big part in setting the atmosphere for the teams. Simple things, like carefully listening to employees, showing empathy, and resolving conflicts with an understanding approach make a huge difference in how one may feel at work. Including policies that provide a work-life balance, such as flexible schedules or access to resources for maintaining good mental health, is a huge contributory factor toward an enabling, supportive environment.

This project has taught me that the human side of management is important. It's not just about employees being present to get the work done, but how their emotions can directly affect their actual performance and satisfaction with their jobs.

As younger generations enter the workforce, they are looking for more empathetic and supportive leadership. Companies that invest in building emotional intelligence in their leaders will have better employee retention and ultimately be successful. This experience has taught me a lot about the power of emotional intelligence in the workplace, how emotionally intelligent managers inspire trust, constructively handle conflicts, and genuinely support their teams. By putting mental health front and center and leading with empathy, companies can create a culture that truly values personal well-being and professional growth. This project has shown me time and again that real change starts with how leaders connect with and care for their people.

A Comparative Analysis of Emergency Room, Urgent Care Centers and Physician Office Visits

Katherine Ebrahim, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Nursing 

For my capstone project I reviewed literature on the utilization of the Emergency room (ER), Urgent Care centers (UCC) and Physician offices (PO). The aim of this literature search was to analyze why patients may choose to go the ER over UCCs and POs, and explore how health care professionals can guide patients to the appropriate care settings and provide solutions to direct patients to the best option. Each of these three locations provide a slightly different service. Comparing the overlap and fine tuning their use can result in better overall care to patients.

A large factor that affects patients is access to care. If patients are in a location where they only have an ER as a close option for care, they might choose to go there even when an UCC would suffice. If a person’s PO or UCC is closed at the time that they are seeking care they would be forced to go to the ER for medical treatment or risk not being able to receive any care.

Ensuring that UCC’s remain open to patients can allow them to seek treatment. It is also important to remember that some patients do not have regular visits with a health care professional. This lack of connection to a primary care physician may be the cause of a lack of access to PO visit.

This data could help to identify when each location is used, and how accurately patients are selecting the appropriate location to visit. This can lead to improving patient decisions through healthcare guides and decreased unnecessary ER visits.

I chose this area of research because the ER is something I am very passionate about. I was also interested in how to help both patients and the health care team. The research for this project was very interesting and there were a variety of papers that I found compelling. Learning more about this topic and being about to speak about it to friends and family has made me appreciate the patients that ER workers have to treat. I found it surprising how many articles I was able to find on my topic because I was worried I wouldn’t find enough. Overall, I have learned that researching about a topic you are interested can be rewarding and teach you more about your topic.

The Effect of Tau on Cervical Cancer Cell Cycle and Neuroblastoma Cell Cycle

Sandi Kelada, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Biology

At the start of my research journey, I wanted to be involved with cancer research. However, I was unable to find a position in a cancer research lab. I was also interested in neuroscience but was not sure of all the opportunities here at CSI. When one of my professors connected me with Dr. Alonso, I learned of all the projects she has been working on with Alzheimer's disease, which I found fascinating. She asked me to decide on what I would be working on and as I was researching the options, I came across new literature discussing correlations between Alzheimer's disease and cancer. I was very excited to explore this further because it combined my cancer interest with neuroscience. I presented this to Dr. Alonso and she loved the idea and I was very grateful that I could explore this new link further.

My overall capstone experience was very positive. I learned many new things and was pushed outside my comfort zone. Researching this new correlation was at times challenging since these discoveries were relatively new. However, I was pushed to work harder and collaborate with other people as well as my mentor in order to construct my methodology and perform my experiments. I am very grateful for all the people that helped me and were there for me during this journey and how they were always available to answer any questions I had. This experience also increased my knowledge and love for biology and its relevance in medicine. I learned about and studied major disease processes that are common, and it I saw the relevance of research and how drives clinical medicine.

While I was able to gather many data in this project, there is still more to be done. Further research looking at other cancer cell lines could include studies that could be compared with one another. Additionally, staining protocols as well as techniques such as western blot are necessary to determine the biochemical bases of these correlations. Additionally, statistical tests could also be done to figure out the significance between the different cancer cell lines. More research needs to be done to find out the reasons behind the differences in the intensity between them.

Ultimately, I am very grateful that I had this research opportunity. It not only furthered my research goals but has also better prepared me for a medical career. I have learned to be persistent, to ask difficult questions, and to not be afraid of asking for help when I need it. I will always remember to stay creative and innovative and explore new connections and discoveries even among the seemingly mundane.

Echoes of Understanding: Exploring Schizophrenia's Ripple Effect on Relationships: A Literature Review

Jordan Pernice, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Psychology

My research area was inspired by a deep interest in understanding the correlation between mental health and human relationships. As a psychology major, I’ve always been fascinated by how mental health disorders affect interpersonal connections. Schizophrenia stood out as particularly misunderstood, yet profoundly impactful to those who have it. My motivation stemmed from a desire to bridge the gap between clinical understanding and human empathy.

Initially, I thought the capstone would be a straightforward academic exercise. In reality, it was much more. It became a journey of discovery, pushing me to question stereotypes, connect with the emotional narratives behind the data, and explore the societal implications of stigma. It was intellectually challenging, but also deeply personal. By the end, I felt like I had not just written a literature review, but had also contributed to promoting understanding and compassion for those impacted by schizophrenia.

I found that confronting the depth of stigma and misinformation surrounding schizophrenia to be deeply challenging. Sifting through dense research articles was tough, but even harder was digesting the emotional toll the disorder takes on individuals and their relationships. At times, the statistics and stories felt overwhelming. However, what came naturally was my passion for the topic. I never doubted my commitment to shedding light on this important issue. What surprised me the most was how interconnected everything was. This project proved that addressing mental health is not just about discussing treatment, but also about promoting societal change.

This research is only the beginning, I’d love to explore interventions that improve relationship dynamics for individuals with schizophrenia, particularly focusing on romantic relationships, which are often overlooked. Expanding the study to include personal narratives and interviews with individuals and their families could provide richer, more human perspectives. Additionally, exploring cross-cultural differences in how schizophrenia is perceived and managed could highlight areas for global improvement in mental health care and societal support systems.

This experience has been incredibly personal for me. My stepfather’s struggle with schizophrenia was my first glimpse into how this disorder affects not only the individual but also their loved ones. Witnessing his journey, the challenges he faced in maintaining relationships, and the misconceptions he endured gave me a unique perspective and a deep empathy for those living with mental illness.

Through this research, I’ve come to appreciate the resilience of individuals like my stepfather and their families. I’m walking away with a renewed sense of purpose to advocate for mental health awareness and a commitment to fostering understanding in both my personal and professional life as I continue my journey in psychology.