2. American Studies Honor Theses
PMH 201
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Nathan, American Studies
Presenters: Dustin Foote ’17, Gabriela Perez ’17, Andrew Uebelein ‘17
Dustin Foote ’17, “From Tailgating in Happy Valley to Running with Ralphie the
Buffalo: The Cultural Significance of Pregame Festivities at Penn State and CU Boulder
Football Games”
Like many other schools, Penn State University and the University of Colorado Boulder
take their pregame college football rituals seriously. On game days in State College,
Pennsylvania, a prominent tent community of tailgaters is constituted. CU has its own
unique game day ritual: running its popular animal mascot, Ralphie the Buffalo, around
the football field. These cultural practices are not trivial and thus my Honors Thesis
scrutinizes, contextualizes, and critiques these traditions.
Gabriela Pérez ’17, “What’s in a (Public Housing) Community?”
My Honors Thesis explores the meaning of community in the New York City public
housing system, specifically in Queensbridge, the largest public housing development in
North America. I attempt to answer the following questions: What was the original plan
and vision for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)? How did the NYCHA
negotiate management and community-building tactics? How is community formed and
who can claim ownership? How does a marginalized community make these public
spaces livable?
Andrew Uebelein ’17, “Writing, Producing, and Performing Socially Responsible Satire”
My Senior Thesis is about how well satirical television shows communicate their cultural
critiques. It specifically examines how the humor in
South Park
is often misconstrued and
misappropriated, which can create dissonance between the satirists’ intentions and how
many audience members interpret jokes. For my Honors Thesis, I have produced a
satirical web-series that is socio-politically critical (and hopefully funny and
ameliorating) and remains clear in its intention to challenge social maladies.
3. What’s in a “Like”? Differences in Social Media Platforms’ Marketing
Effectiveness
PMH 202
Faculty Sponsor: Christine Page, Management & Business
Student Co-Chair: Georgiana Ager ‘17
Presenter: Georgiana Ager ‘17
Despite the recent growth in social media marketing, there is little research regarding the
differences in effectiveness between social media platforms. The current research
addresses this issue by posting advertisements on a local company’s Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter pages for one week to assess which platform is better at driving
sales (on/offline) and in-store visits among consumers. This presentation should be of
particular interest to those curious about psychology, business, and media studies.
