Senior Student Capstone Project

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers a unique Senior Capstone experience in which students learn about clinical processes in speech-language pathology and audiology through guided clinical observations and engage in independent research through their Capstone papers and poster presentations.

The Capstone papers and presentations, which have been part of the CSD curriculum since 1995, afford students the opportunity to explore self-selected topics while they learn critical skills in literature review and professional writing. Each year in the Spring Semester, the hard work of the CSD students is highlighted at the CSD Poster Presentation Event held during the University-wide Research and Creative Achievement Week. 

"The capstone experience provided me with numerous skills I can use throughout my career, for example, skills of time management. . . . It was really interesting to see how everything fell into place during the poster presentation. At first I was nervous that I might not know how to answer all the questions that would be asked, but during the presentation I came to the realization that this was my work, my masterpiece, and I knew so much about the topic I chose to research. It was really an amazing feeling, and I answered every question with confidence."
Laurie Farkas, Spring 2005

"The Capstone Poster Presentation was a huge learning experience. It's great to be able to share your topic of interest and research findings with others. The entire experience leaves you with a wonderful sense of accomplishment." 
Kasey Thomas, Spring 2005

The CSD Senior Capstone presentations have been one of the longest running undergraduate research events at the University of Maine and has been recognized by top administrators. 

Scott Delcourt, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, has enjoyed visiting the poster presentations every year and has commented on the value of the CSD Capstone experience: 
"The experience of undertaking an original research project, beginning with an analysis of the primary literature and finishing with a synthesis of the major research findings, is an invaluable learning experience for any student considering graduate study. The capstone provides students with the fundamental skills necessary to become scholars and practioners in the field."