Gael Ocampo
The Yaotetla Makuahuitl project represents a fusion of tradition, creativity, and self-expression through the lens of Neo-Mexica/Neo-Aztec artistry. This capstone endeavor showcases a collection of meticulously crafted art pieces, each bearing the imprint of the artisan's hands and soul, tailored to the unique essence of its recipient. These artifacts not only serve as aesthetic marvels but also carry the weight of historical lineage, embodying the rich cultural heritage of the Aztec civilization.
Beyond their aesthetic allure, Yaotetla Makuahuitl pieces are imbued with a deeper purpose – that of self-defense. Rooted in the ancient traditions of Aztec craftsmanship, these artisanal creations transcend mere ornamentation, doubling as functional tools for personal protection. In a contemporary world marked by uncertainty, these artifacts stand as guardians of tradition, blending heritage with practicality in an elegant union of form and function.
Through the medium of Neo-Aztec craftwork, the Yaotetla Makuahuitl project not only showcases the artist's mastery but also serves as a conduit for cultural exchange. By sharing these unique creations with the world, the artist invites audiences to delve into the depths of Mexica culture, offering glimpses of its art, spirituality, and ethos. In doing so, the project becomes a testament to the enduring relevance of ancient traditions in a modern context, bridging the gap between past and present, heritage and innovation.
In essence, Yaotetla Makuahuitl encapsulates the spirit of creativity, resilience, and cultural pride. It is a celebration of craftsmanship, individuality, and the enduring legacy of the Aztec civilization, inviting audiences to not only admire its beauty but also to partake in its narrative – one that weaves together history, identity, and the timeless pursuit of artistic expression.
and Latin American Culture
Academic Advisor: Luisa, Bieri
Co-op Advisor: Luisa, Bieri
Languages: Spanish
Home City: Mexico City
gcabreraocampo@antiochcollege.edu
Robyn McCoy
Black Horror: An Analysis of Genre
From Candyman (1992) to Get Out (2017), Black Horror is a film genre that is known to respond to particular historical, cultural, and intergenerational issues of race, racism, and social inequality. But what constitutes Black Horror, and why did it proliferate at certain moments? Although some elements of the genre have been displayed on screens since the late 1890s, film directors like Jordan Peele have contributed to the genre’s more recent notoriety. This capstone seeks to define and analyze the Black Horror genre, including its timeline, contexts, and reception among Black and white audiences. Once written off as a part of the “Blaxploitation” genre, Black Horror now strives to comment on deeper social issues. Using a comparative lens, this capstone will ask: How do different contexts and experiences impact the reception––and ultimately the meaning of––Black Horror as a genre? Can Black Horror be exploitative, traumatizing, or re-traumatizing? In what ways does Black Horror use pain, trauma, and anxiety to comment on racism, classism, and oppression in America, and what effect do these methods of social commentary have on viewers?
Major: English and Literary Arts
Academic Advisor: Natalie Suzelis
Co-op Advisor: Richard Kraince
Languages: English, Spanish
Home City: Springfield, Ohio
Email: mccoy@antiochcollege.edu
Co-ops: Antioch College Coretta Scott King Center, Yellow Springs, OH - Black Women @ Antioch IG Coordinator - Friends Care Community- Yellow Springs, OH - Dietary Aide - Antioch College Coretta Scott King Center, Yellow Springs, OH - Coordinator - Wellness Center at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH - Front Desk Assistant
Mercy Viola
Sankofa After The Storm: Mercy Viola’s Healing Sanctuary Solo Exhibition
Mercy Viola's capstone was a solo exhibition and community invitation to the methodologies she has found sanctuary in, such as Black feminist thought, liberation literature, rootwork (African
American healing technology), holistic care and Afro-futurism. The exhibition includes
interdisciplinary art and workshops serving as an ode to the movements for liberatory healing such as the Black arts movement, Black Panthers free clinics and liberation schools, Black and Afro-indigenous healing and creative epistemologies, Black and Indigenous farming traditions and relational healing (family, ancestral, generational, community. Viola's work highlights the spirit of the medicine wheel, a Cheyenne principle, that centers honoring all our relations as a mirror and call to community responsibility and reflection.
Academic Advisors: Kevin McGruder, Michael Casselli, Forest Bright, Cary Campbell
Co-op Advisor: Luisa Bieri
Co-ops: Community Engagement and Education Intern with Creative Time (NYC, 2016); Girls As Leaders andAdvocates: Arts and Justice Fellow (NYC, 2017); Arts Based Early Relationship Abuse Prevention with DAYONE(NYC, fall 2018- summer 2019) Wind and Warrior Institute for Liberatory Healing Fellow (NYC, 2024).
Additional Campus Involvement: Native Apothecary Garden, Antioch College Farm, Black and Native Arts and Cultural Organizer at The Coretta Scott King Center, Black Queer Student Union Coordinator at the Coretta Scott King Center
Languages: English, Spanish
City: Martinsville, IN, Yellow Springs OH, Brooklyn NY,
Email: mercy.carpenter1@gmail.com
mercyviola.wixsite.com/official
Adrian Colborn
Major: Social Enterprise and Innovation
Academic Advisor: Dean Snyder
Co-op Advisor: Rick Kraince
Co-ops: Antioch College, Residence Life Administrative Assistant (Spring 2021); Scrutineers, Election Protection Contractor (Winter 2022); Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts, Assistant Coordinator of the Teaching and Learning Center (Spring 2023)
Additional Campus Involvement:
Community Council Co-chair (‘20)
College Council Representative (‘21-’24)
Accessibility Committee Chair (‘23-’24)
Languages: English, French
Home City: Piqua, Ohio
E-mail: acolborn@antiochcollege.edu
A Review and Analysis of the Effectiveness of Experiential Learning in American K-12 Education
Abstract:
This paper explores the effectiveness of experiential learning models, with particular emphasis given to service-learning and actions civics approaches, in American K-12 civic education. Civics education currently resides in a space of political contention in present-day United States; while some state legislatures and private organizations have advocated for - or sought to require - the inclusion of experiential learning models such as action civics, others have moved to restrict or prohibit them entirely. Advocates argue that experiential civic education better prepares students to serve as active civic agents in addition to providing a more robust, equitable approach to instructing on core civics knowledge - those opposed argue that students taught in this manner are pushed to act as political agents without the necessary knowledge to act, as these methods fail to foster understandings of the workings of government and American history in students. In response, this paper seeks to determine the relevance of experiential learning in civics for American students through an analysis of the existing literature surrounding these models in the United States. Current research demonstrates the effectiveness of varied methods of experiential learning in civics education - particularly when numerous methods work in cohesion to provide thorough, hands-on education on civic life and history. Ideally, this paper will serve to provide clarity to the ongoing contention and aid in the promotion of the most beneficial best practices for the next generation of American students.
Erina McGuire
This Capstone project explores art therapy and narrative through the creation of a series of three comics. The comics act as a personal participation of art therapy, and are made up of personal experiences and emotions, as well as a few creative liberties. These comics act as both an expressive outlet and a therapeutic tool, and aim to illustrate the transformative potential of visual storytelling in mental health practices.
Through this project, Erina aims to highlight the therapeutic benefits of comic creation, demonstrating how art can be used to facilitate emotional healing and self-discovery.
Major: Developmental Psychology and the Arts
Academic Advisors: Luisa Bieri
Co-op Advisor: Luisa Bieri and Beth Bridgeman
Co-ops:
-Buen Dia Family School: Teaching Assistant (San Francisco, California -Year 1)
-Wellness Center: Wellness Assistant (Antioch College -Year 2)
-Estia Agios Nikolaos: Volunteer Assistant (Galaxidi, Greece -Year 4)
-Rocking Horse Community Health Center: Patient Advocates Intern (Springfield, Ohio -Hanging Co-op)
Additional Campus Involvement:
-Community Council Co-Chair
-Accessibility Committee Member
-Residential Assistant (Years 3 and 4)
Languages: English, French
Home City: Georgetown, Ohio (Born and raised); Springfield, Ohio (Current residence)
Email: emcguire@antiochcollege.edu
Ashley LocGodess Coleman
Major: Interdisciplinary Arts and Creative Practice
Academic Advisor: Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli
Co-op Advisor: Luisa Bieri
Co-ops: Jennifer Sharp Films (Winter '22), eBay (Spring '23), Peace and Love Studios: Cracking the Code on Autism (Fall '24)
Home City: Dayton, OH
Email:
acoleman@antiochcollege.edu
A Super Heroine
Women, especially women of color, have faced centuries of undervaluation, lack of protection, and neglect. However, in 2024, a significant shift is occurring, prompting the big question: why? This documentary embarks on a journey to uncover the stories of millennial LGBTQ+ women who are defying the odds and taking control of their entrepreneurial experiences. These women have bravely packed up their lives, relocated to new cities or states, and built communities that enable them to thrive. By belonging to multiple marginalized groups, they have courageously defined their identities and pursued their happiness on their own terms.
Through profound discussions on courage, resilience, and success, this documentary aims to inspire women everywhere to invest in their own mental autonomy and break the glass ceiling for future generations. These stories highlight the importance of self-determination and community support in overcoming systemic barriers. By showcasing the journeys of these trailblazing women, we hope to ignite a movement where women across the globe feel empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace their true selves, and create lasting change in their own lives and beyond.
DJ Riley
Efude Foliage
Objective: My goal is to make a playable, fully functional video game.
Context: When I was younger, about the age of 17, I met this dude who told me about this phone game he made, which was a simple solitaire clone. I believe he told me he made about 2-5 dollars a week, which kinda blew my mind. He told me everything he could about making a game in Unity for about an hour. About a week later I downloaded Unity on my rinky-dink desktop and played around with it, not really taking it seriously or opening that software again. I call upon this inspiring memory with our game about a lil bush creature and its story in Efude Foliage.
Efude Foliage took its roots as a desire to make a cool game that me and my friend Loretta would be a bit proud of, the thought of this had formed a little more than a year ago. We were and still are poor, which is one of the main driving points. If we got enough money a week that Loretta could get like two Mountain Dews and me two Cream Cheese Danishes, we would be content. I somewhat thought of this to be a way out, to help me eventually kill my financial struggles. That Another thing would be our love for video games of all kinds and Video games as a medium for storytelling. Personally, I've been playing video games since I was 4 years old with my own PS2. Loretta taught herself how to read by playing Starcraft. Yes, gaming is that deeply ingrained into us and part of the outlet is showing other people what can be enjoyed in the medium, is with Efude Foileage.
Jamison Watkins
Major: Social Psychology and Familial Reformation
Academic Advisors: Jennifer Grubbs
Co-op Advisor:
Co-ops: Visiting Angels; Queer Center Coordinator
Additional Campus Involvement: Former Queer Center Coordinator
Languages: English
Home City: Frankfort, Kentucky
Email: jamison.watkins@yahoo.com
The Addict or One Who Suffers From Substance Use Disorder
Abstract: My capstone focuses on humanizing people who suffer from Substance Use Disorders, or more commonly known as "Addicts". People struggling with Substance Use Disorders have been stigmatized for over a century, even before we knew that addiction was an issue. I examine the stigmas this population receives, and explain the psychological and biological reasoning for starting and continued usage of drugs. My hope is to shift the common perception of the "Addict" as someone who is scary and should blame themselves into someone who has suffered a great deal and cannot get out of their rut when these stigmas follow them everywhere they go.
Abbey Cyester
Art Therapy as a Means of Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) for Survivors
This senior capstone project examines the short- and long-term psychological impacts of trauma, including denial, shock, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and C-PTSD. It divides trauma into acute, chronic, and complex categories, highlighting the challenges in diagnosing due to the variety of symptoms and comorbidities. The importance of thorough assessments and customized treatment plans is underlined, focusing on art therapy in particular, to achieve PTG. The application of art therapy as a therapeutic approach that incorporates sensory understandings is examined. The steps of safeguarding, memory, despair, reconnection, and integration are highlighted by analyzing trauma-informed treatment.
Accompanying this presentation is a substantial research paper that examines trauma and its typologies and predictors, the stages of PTG and its studies, and theoretical and therapeutic frameworks and methodologies. Paper access will be distributed upon request.
Additionally, the following art exhibition visually presents a sample of Abbey’s art therapy-based paintings about trauma, her experiences, and her healing process.
Major: Trauma Recovery through Psychology and the Visual Arts
Academic Advisors: Michael Casselli
Co-op Advisor: Luisa Bieri
Co-ops: Counseling Services Assistant, Antioch College (Winter 2022), Field Work Experience for Transfer (Winter 2023), Teaching Assistant, We Care Arts (Spring 2023)
Additional Campus Involvement: Coordinator at The Coretta Scott King Center, Creator/Organizer/Host of the Emotion Art Workshops at the Counseling Services Center
Languages: English, Spanish, ASL
Home City: Kettering, Ohio - Yellow Springs, Ohio - Dana Point, California - Los Angeles, California - Joshua Tree, California
Email: acyester@antiochcollege.edu
Victoria Shinkle
Major: Curating the Visual Arts
Academic Advisor: Natalie Suzelis
Co-op Advisor: Richard Kraince
Co-ops: Assistant to the Creative Director, Herndon Gallery, Yellow Springs - Intern, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Project Space, New York City - Digital Archive and Communications Intern, The Kitchen, New York City
Languages: French
Home City: Lawrenceville, Illinois
Email: vshinkle@antiochcollege.edu
My senior project is an exploration of temporal considerations in art. I researched, designed and installed two exhibitions, both ideating on the concept of Time. The first exhibition was In late-stage capitalism, the omnipresent push towards acceleration weighs heavily upon individuals and societal structures, shaping them in its image. At work, we must be ever more productive in shorter and shorter periods of time, and this demand keeps us from our personal lives. There just never seems to be enough time, and we are damned to a constant race in which the only finish line is death. My first show, 48 Hours, highlighted this phenomenon and asked what happens when this pressure is applied to art making. All of the work was crafted in a 24 hour period, and then the show was hung the next day. My second show, taking inspiration from Winona LaDuke’s Economics for the Seventh Generation, dealt with a deeper kind of Time, asking people of varied perspectives to consider and make work for or about the world seven generations, or roughly 250 years, ahead of them.