Upper School Students Share Thoughtful Work at Humanities Research Capstone Showcase

Nine juniors presented the culmination of their two-year Humanities Research Programs. From understanding the horror genre through the lens of Goya’s dark art to the emotional pull of movie scores and the enduring presence of masculine tropes in cinema, these projects explore how media shapes feeling and identity. They also trace the influence of ideas—examining how political propaganda works, how secularism and religion overlap, and how literature gives voice to feminist thought. Questions of care and connection emerge in research on the challenge of sustaining empathy in medical practice, while cultural values come into focus in studies of success and failure across societies. Even the spaces we inhabit—like the modern workplace—reveal shifting priorities and beliefs. Together, these inquiries show the many ways the humanities help us read the world and rethink our place in it. 

Special thanks to Humanities Research Program Coordinator Dr. Ashley Tidey, as well as Alethea Paradis. Congratulations to these dedicated students for their creativity, commitment, and passion for such meaningful work! 

Humanities Research Program Capstone Projects 2025

Peyton Gimbel '26
Masculinity in Motion: Breaking the Frame & Facade of Traditional Masculinity Through Realistic Cinema

Lila Foster '26
The American Pipe-Dream: A Cross-Cultural Study of Productivity and the Phantom of Success

Dakota Risley '26
The Art of Fear: Goya’s Legacy and the Power of Confronting Darkness

Aaron Kamps '26
Good Without God: The Future of Faith Conversations

Sage Holcombe '26
The Architecture of Work: How Office Design Shapes Productivity and Well-Being 

Zoe Wolf '26
The Music of Motion: A Look Into the Psychological Power of Film Scoring

Henry Risley '26
Cult and Consumerism: Unmasking the Allure of Propaganda in a Polarizing Age

Amelia Noble '26
Existence before Essence: Tracing Feminist Philosophy in Fictional Women

Evie Comis '26
Healing and Humanity: The Tension Between Empathy and Distance 

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