The capstone as a rewarding journey

Melissa Finnegan, Verrazano Class of 2019, earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.


As a freshman in college it may be hard for one to know what you want to major in, what career path you want to go down, or even decide what you expect to accomplish during your college career. Fortunately, I was lucky to know what I wanted my end goal to be and what my future career was going to be. I have always been interested in the sciences. I have always been so passionate about helping others and pursuing a career in physical therapy. Throughout my college years I have had the opportunity to meet many wonderful individuals, gain exceptional experiences and have the ability to network with others. In the blink of an eye, every semester seemed to fly by. By the beginning of my junior year all I could hear my other peers brainstorming about was their capstone project and what is was going to be about. Even though we still had a whole year to complete the project, it is very important to think ahead and plan out what you wanted to do.

Melissa presenting at CSI's Undergraduate Research Conference

I started brainstorming what I was going to do during the beginning of my spring semester in junior year. I wanted to participate in undergraduate research with a professor but I also wanted to gain the experience of working in an independent study. During the fall and spring semester of my senior year I have been working in an independent study, which assisted me in the preliminary stages of my capstone project. When working on a thesis and doing research, it is imperative that you select a topic that is not only important but also interesting to you. I was able to intertwine my passion for physical therapy and interest in doing research with subjects. Having this idea, I was able to begin my capstone.
I conducted my research with the elderly and analyzed their functionality through a series of questions as well as creating an online survey. My experience with working on my capstone was of course stressful at times but it was also rewarding to see all my hard work come together and pay off. My research involves relative information to my career path so I will able to apply this knowledge to my future endeavors.  Now having completed my capstone, I am honored to have finished. This project has taught me a lot and has proven to me my ability to produce educational and informative research.