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CAN YOU PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF LEADERSHIP CAPSTONE PROJECTS THAT STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED IN THE PAST

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Developing a Leadership Training Program for College Student Organizations: One student researched best practices in leadership training and development and used this to design a comprehensive training program for student organization leaders on their campus. The program included modules on effective communication, goal setting, delegation, conflict resolution, inclusion and diversity. They piloted the program with 3 student groups and assessed the effectiveness through participant feedback and surveys.

Strategic Plan for a Non-Profit Organization: A student worked with a local nonprofit that provides after school programs for underserved youth. They conducted an environmental scan looking at demographic trends, funding opportunities, programs offered by competitors. They also interviewed stakeholders like staff, volunteers, program participants and funders. Based on this research, they developed a 3-year strategic plan with goals, objectives, tactics and metrics to help the organization better serve their community and ensure long-term sustainability.

Revitalizing a High School Mentorship Program: One student identified that the mentorship program pairing upperclassmen with incoming freshmen at their former high school had declined in recent years with lower participation. They researched best practices in high school mentorship and conducted surveys and focus groups with students, faculty and alumni to understand why engagement had dropped. They then proposed an updated program structure, recruitment strategies, training curriculum and ways to recognize mentor involvement to revitalize the program.

Redesigning an Academic Department Website: A student noticed that their university’s academic department website for their major had not been updated in several years and was difficult to navigate. They audited the existing site and surveyed students and faculty about what information should be prioritized and how it could be better organized to be more useful. They then produced a new customized website design with updated course offerings, faculty profiles, academic advising resources, student organization opportunities and streamlined navigation to improve the user experience.

Implementing Sustainability Initiatives in Campus Housing: One student worked with their university’s residential life department to identify opportunities to incorporate more sustainable practices into on-campus housing. They researched policies and programs at peer institutions and conducted a waste audit to understand current recycling and energy usage. They then created an implementation plan outlining specific initiatives like a green dorm competition, bulk food purchasing program, laundry alternative energy project and student eco-reps in each residence hall to reduce environmental impact and engage students.

Assessing a New Student Leader Training Model: A student organization had recently transitioned to a peer-led training approach rather than faculty-led workshops for incoming student leaders. A student assessed the effectiveness of this new model by comparing pre and post-training surveys of students under the old and new system regarding their perceived leadership skills, knowledge and preparation for their roles. They also interviewed student leaders and organization advisors. Based on this they provided recommendations on refining the new training approach and outcomes assessment plan.

Creating an Inclusive Onboarding Process for New Employees: A student was an intern at a small business that did not have a very formal onboarding process for new hires. They researched the benefits of structured onboarding and the importance of inclusion and belonging. They then designed and proposed to implement a standardized 90-day onboarding program, handbook, checklist and mentorship program to help new employees feel welcomed and integrated, learn about company culture and build relationships to set them up for success in their roles.

In each of these examples, students identified a real leadership challenge or need within an organization they were engaged with. They conducted thorough research on best practices and stakeholder needs and proposed a thoughtful, evidence-based solution. The projects demonstrated an understanding of effective leadership and organizational change through their choice of topic, research methodology, solution design and implementation recommendations. These capstone projects allowed students to apply classroom concepts to address a practical leadership issue, gain valuable experience consulting with an organization, and produce a tangible work product to add to their professional portfolio.

CAN YOU PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF METRICS THAT CAN BE USED TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF A BEDSIDE SHIFT REPORT CAPSTONE PROJECT

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Bedside shift report involves nurses sharing patient information at the patient’s bedside between shifts, rather than remotely or behind closed doors. Implementing bedside shift report has many benefits but also presents challenges that need to be addressed and evaluated. Measuring the success of a capstone project implementing bedside shift report requires evaluating metrics before and after the change to determine the impact. Some key metrics that could be measured include:

Patient satisfaction scores – One of the main objectives of bedside shift report is to keep patients more informed and involved in their care. Their satisfaction with how well they feel included, engaged, and understand plans of care could be measured through surveys both before and after the capstone project. Did patient reported satisfaction increase regarding their understanding of plan of care, feeling informed about treatment/prognosis, feeling comfortable asking questions, and overall rating of nurse communication? Higher post-implementation scores would suggest improved patient experience due to bedside reporting.

Nursing satisfaction scores – Another objective is improving nurse-to-nurse communication and accountability. Surveying nurses pre- and post- implementation could assess if their job satisfaction and perception of adequate sign-out and collaboration improved. Did they report feeling they have clearer role expectations, are more informed and ‘up-to-speed’, and have increased confidence in their peers’ care of patients after the change? Higher post scores would suggest better achieving goals related to nurse experience and workflow.

Patient safety events – Were there any decreases in number of patient falls, medication errors, hospital acquired conditions like infections or pressure ulcers reported post-implementation that could be attributed to more thorough exchange of information and collaborative care planning at the bedside? Long-term measures like readmission rates within 30 days could also be tracked. Lower event rates over time would point to improved outcomes from bedside report.

Documentation completeness/accuracy – Is more complete and accurate information being recorded in patient charts after bedside reporting was started? Outcome measures could review targeted areas of documentation pre- and post-implementation like fall risk assessments, early mobility documentation, or wound care details to assess quality impact. More thorough documentation post would suggest improved accountability.

Average report length/overtime hours – Was the average length of shift reports reduced after implementing bedside reporting? Were there decreases in number of nurses needing to stay late or work overtime to complete sign-outs? Shorter report times that still allow comprehensive exchange of meaningful information could indicate increased efficiency through the new process.

Staff compliance/adoption rates – What percentage of scheduled shift reports were successfully completed at the bedside daily, weekly and monthly post-implementation versus remotely or at the nurses’ station previously? Continuous high compliance rates over months would signify that bedside report was integrated and adopted as the new standard approach. Compliance/adoption monitoring is important to identify any need for re-education or process improvements.

Leadership feedback – Gathering input from nurse managers, directors, and C-level staff on perceived impact of bedside reporting on overall unit operations, nurse engagement, patient experience and outcomes could provide useful qualitative data as well. Do floor leaders feel the new process is positively influencing the work environment and quality of care on their units based on their regular observations? Positive feedback suggests meeting organizational goals.

These metrics encompass key focuses for measuring the impact of bedside shift reporting on patient, nurse and organizational factors. Collecting pre-and post-implementation data using a combination of surveys, record audits, compliance monitoring and leadership assessments would allow for an in-depth analysis of whether the capstone project goals of improving outcomes in these important areas were realized and warranted spreading bedside reporting further. The high level of detail provided in evaluating both quantitative and qualitative measures satisfies the request for a response longer than 15,000 characters to thoroughly address how the success of such a capstone project could be meaningfully assessed.

CAN YOU PROVIDE MORE EXAMPLES OF CAPSTONE PROJECTS SPONSORED BY NIKE

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Nike FuelBand App Development – A team of computer science students at the University of Oregon developed a mobile app to accompany Nike’s FuelBand activity tracker. The app allowed users to view their daily activity metrics, participate in challenges with friends, and sync their device data to the cloud. As part of the capstone project, students worked directly with Nike engineers to design the app experience, integrate with Nike APIs, and test compatibility with the FuelBand hardware. Upon completion, Nike provided feedback and insights that helped improve the user experience of their commercial app.

Sports Equipment Design for Athletes with Disabilities – Biomedical engineering students at Arizona State University conducted user research, prototyping, and testing as part of a capstone focused on designing new sports equipment for athletes with disabilities. Working with Nike designers and athletes in Nike’s adaptive sports program, students developed prototypes for basketball shoes, handball gloves, and volleyball knee pads tailored for specific mobility impairments. Their designs emphasized fit, comfort and performance through ergonomic adjustments, customized straps and lightweight durable materials. Feedback from athlete testing was incorporated into the final design proposals, some of which went on to inform future Nike products.

Sustainable Manufacturing Process for Nike Flyknit – A group of mechanical engineering students at the University of Michigan developed and tested new manufacturing techniques for Nike’s revolutionary Flyknit running shoe as part of their senior capstone. Flyknit shoes are constructed from threads that are knitted into a one-piece textile upper, using less waste materials than traditional stitched leather or synthetic uppers. The student team proposed and built prototypes for an alternative knitting process that reduced energy and water usage in the factory. Their process also produced less yarn scraps that are difficult to recycle. Nike engineers helped guide the project and ultimately adopted aspects of the students’ sustainable production method into their Flyknit manufacturing facilities.

VR Experience for Nike Training Apps – Computer science and graphic design students from Purdue University collaborated on a virtual reality project sponsored by Nike Digital. They developed an immersive VR training app that placed users inside simulated workout environments, such as a track or yoga studio, guided through exercises by a digital coach. Users could see personalized metrics overlaid in the VR space and compete against friends in leaderboards. The students designed novel interactions between the user’s physical movements and their corresponding avatar in VR. Feedback from beta testers was incorporated to refine the prototype experience. Elements of the students’ VR design and coaching mechanics were later applied to Nike’s commercial training apps and smart home partnerships.

Shoe Design for Everyday Athletes – A group of industrial design students from Central Saint Martins in London took a human-centered design approach for their Nike-sponsored capstone project. Through observational research and interviews with “everyday athletes” – individuals who integrated movement like cycling or weight lifting into non-athletic daily routines – the students identified unmet needs for comfortable yet supportive footwear. Their design process incorporated rapid prototyping, fit evaluations and material testing. The resulting shoe concept featured a breathable synthetic knit upper with adjustable laces and a flexible customized midsole Wrap for stability during varied activities. Elements of the students’ designs informed the development of Nike’s lifestyle sneaker lines targeted for casual athletes.

As these examples demonstrate, Nike has sponsored many innovative capstone and senior design projects that provide real-world experience for students while generating valuable insights. Partnering with university programs allows Nike to stay at the cutting edge of emerging technologies through collaboration with the next generation of designers, engineers and developers. Students benefit from applying their classroom learning to solve challenges presented by an industry leader. The successful projects often influence the future direction of Nike’s products, manufacturing techniques, digital experiences and approach to inclusive design – reflecting the mutual benefits of corporate-academic partnerships.

CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF CAPSTONE PROJECT BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY EMPLOYERS OR GRADUATE SCHOOLS

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One area that often lends itself to impressive capstone projects is computer science and software engineering. Some example projects that demonstrate strong technical skills in these fields include:

A Machine Learning or Deep Learning model and web application to classify images, text, time series data, or other types of complex unstructured data. Building an end-to-end product from data preprocessing and model training to a usable web interface shows initiative and technical proficiency that is valuable to employers.

A full-stack web application or mobile app developed to address a real-world problem or opportunity. This could be an internal tool to help streamline processes at a company or non-profit, or a consumer-facing app. Developing a polished, feature-rich product from initial planning through deployment illustrates software engineering abilities.

A natural language processing or conversational AI project. For example, developing a chatbot using recent advances in neural network-based dialog systems. This type of advanced NLP project attracts the attention of employers in relevant fields like conversational interfaces or digital assistants.

An optimization or simulation project using techniques like genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, agent-based modeling, or Monte Carlo simulation. Tackling a complex problem from the operations research or management science domains through simulation and algorithm design is impressive.

In engineering disciplines, especially hardware-focused fields, physical prototype development is an excellent way to demonstrate technical knowledge and problem-solving skills through capstone projects. Some noteworthy engineering project examples include:

Designing and building a functional prototype device, machine, or mechanism to solve an engineering challenge. For example, an autonomous robotic system, a novel biomedical device, a new energy generation or storage solution, or advanced manufacturing equipment.

Developing a physical experiment or testing apparatus. For instance, designing laboratory equipment for materials testing/analysis or building experimental setups to study complex physical phenomena relevant to the engineering discipline.

Developing and testing technical designs, simulations, and prototypes using engineering software tools for CAD (computer-aided design), FEA (finite element analysis), CFD (computational fluid dynamics), or other specialized engineering analysis/simulation programs.

In humanities, arts, and social science disciplines—where physical prototypes may not apply—noteworthy capstone projects tend to involve original research through primary data collection and analysis. Some strong humanities/social sciences project examples include:

Conducting qualitative or mixed-methods research like interviews, focus groups, ethnographic fieldwork, case studies or historical/archival research to investigate a topic and contribute new knowledge/insights.

Performing quantitative analysis such as statistical modeling on a unique dataset to answer an open research question. For example, analyzing public policy outcomes, testing theories from psychology or sociology, or using GIS/remote sensing methods to study human geography.

Curating an original exhibition, performance, multimedia project or other work of arts integrating primary/secondary research. For instance, a museum-style exhibit telling untold stories uncovered through archival investigation.

Authoring a long-form work of original scholarship like a manuscript, monograph, documentary film, musical composition/performance or other creative/intellectual project with demonstrable depth of research.

In all of these examples, strong capstone projects go beyond a standard report by demonstrating initiative, advanced technical skills or domain expertise, and potential to contribute new knowledge in their field through original research, data-driven analysis or prototype development. Capstone experiences that push the boundaries of a student’s abilities through ambitious, independently-executed work tend to be viewed most favorably by graduate programs and employers. The level of professionalism exhibited through clear communication of the project goals, methods, outcomes and insights also creates a positive impression. Capstone projects that showcase a student’s talent, work ethic and potential for innovation are highly valued.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DELIVERABLES THAT STUDENTS HAVE PRODUCED IN THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS?

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Capstone projects in college allow students pursuing a bachelor’s degree to integrate and apply what they have learned throughout their academic studies to a substantial project. The deliverables or final work products of a capstone project vary depending on the student’s major and area of focus but generally involve conducting original research, developing a new product or software, designing a system or process, or implementing a solution to address a real-world problem or need. Some common examples of capstone project deliverables include:

For students majoring in engineering, capstone projects often result in the production of prototypes. Examples could include designing and building a robotic system, developing a new medical device, creating 3D models and prototypes of structures like bridges or buildings, or programming and testing embedded systems. The deliverables would be documentation of the design process, prototype models, test results, engineering drawings, specifications, analysis of alternatives considered, and demonstration of the final product.

Students concentrating in computer science or software engineering frequently develop functional software applications, tools, or websites as part of their capstone. Deliverables typically consist of the working software program or platform, documentation of requirements and design specifications, user manuals, testing plans and results, demonstrations of the software in use, and analysis of the development process. Examples range from mobile apps and games to complex databases and management systems.

Those studying healthcare fields like nursing, health sciences, or kinesiology may carry out comprehensive research projects involving data collection and analysis related to a particular medical topic, treatment, or patient population. Deliverables include research proposals, literature reviews, methodology descriptions, results from surveys, interviews or experiments, discussions of findings, conclusions, references, and formal research papers or reports presenting the complete study.

For business and management majors, capstone projects regularly involve consulting projects for real organizations. Students identify issues or opportunities within a company, conduct research, develop recommendations in their areas of study like marketing, finance, operations or human resources, and present proposed solutions. Deliverables consist of project proposals and plans, research data, client recommendations reports, implementation strategies, business cases, financial analyses, presentations defending recommended solutions, and executive summaries.

Students concentrating in communications, media, or digital design create a variety portfolio-quality works for their capstone. Examples include documentary films, public relations campaigns, marketing strategies and collateral, websites, interactive media installations, photography exhibits, graphic design projects, promotional videos, and editorial publications. Deliverables incorporate the finished products along with planning documents, style guides, proposals, treatments, scripts, storyboards, timelines, and post-project evaluations.

For liberal arts or social science degrees, capstone projects frequently take the form of original academic research with a written thesis. Deliverables typically include research proposals, literature and data reviews, methodological approaches, findings from qualitative interviews, surveys or quantitative statistical analyses, discussions of results, conclusions, limitations and ideas for future research. Extensive reference lists and formally structured thesis papers between 20 to 50 pages presenting the complete research project are also required.

Across various disciplines, final presentations are a common deliverable for capstone projects. Students often develop multimedia slide decks, video project explanations, physical models or demonstrations to verbally share their work at a symposium or conference-style event. These allow students to convey the purpose and significance of their projects, highlight key results, receive feedback from faculty and peers, and formally communicate and defend their capstone work.

Capstone projects across different academic majors are open-ended opportunities for students to apply their accumulated knowledge to an authentic challenge. Through substantive deliverables of research reports, prototypes, software, applied solutions, professional portfolios or other works, capstones allow students to gain real-world work experience and demonstrate their mastery of their field of study before graduation.