So I've gotta do this Capstone thing...

At Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, senior level students will now be expected to complete a "Capstone Project." I have been given the task of mapping out three potential areas of interest to fulfill this requirement.

Trying to figure out what I want to do for my Capstone Project hasn't been easy. This has been in large part to my extreme lack of understanding of what the Capstone Project even is. After reading the assignment description for week five of my Portfolio class a couple times, I believe I am starting to get a grasp on the project.

In essense, we (meaning seniors of Champlain College) will be expected to have some awesome product to share that is the culmination of the three years of undergraduate work we have completed. The product should exemplify some interest or skill we have acquired in a thoughtful way.

This is stressful for me to consider, but I will attempt this:

1.) Throughout my past two and a half years of study at Champlain, I have been increasingly interested in the idea of working for a non-profit organization. I think a really great Capstone Project would be to do some publicity work for a non-profit in the area that doesn't get much attention. It would be really interesting if I could develop some kind of community newsletter or something that would advertise what the non-profit is doing and why people should pay attention.

• I of course have no idea what non-profit or if this is even a viable project idea. But, something along these lines would be a valuable and rewarding experience and could potentially do some good for a struggling non-profit.
• Since everything these days seems to be online, maybe making the newsletter electronic would be the way to go--but I'm just brainstorming here.

2.) I recently completed an Ethnographic Writing course at Champlain. I don't feel like I was able to really take advantage of the craft like I would have liked. It would be really fascinating if I could maybe have the chance to do my own ethnographic piece for my Capstone Project. Of all the writing I have learn about, this has actually been the kind that has really captured my imagination.

• The issue I'm having with this one is, I fear I really have very little time to take on such an endeavor and have it turn out the way I really want it to. Maybe if I can find a way to work on it all summer, I will have it close to where I want it by next spring.

3.) A final idea is to set up a real structure for The Current. As the Editor-in-Chief this semester I have already been working hard on creadting more structure for the paper. It has been a valuable experience so far, as I have begun implementing new components to the structure of the paper.

• I have already started this idea by creating a new format for staff meetings, a more organized submission calendar, and a very simple style sheet. I'm not sure if this is even considered a true Capstone Project, but a lot of what I have implemented has been from my learning experience working on the paper and from my Copy Editing class.

I am hoping I come up with more ideas, or at least find ways to use the ideas I already have to complete this project. I'm not very confident at the moment.