Christina Barquin (AS ’15) completed her English and Textual Studies Capstone with the support of her advisor, Prof. Claudia Klaver. The project, entitled Contesting Victorian Beliefs: The Unintended Effects of Victorian Novels, closely examines how the late Victorian novels, A Marriage Below Zero by Alan Dale and The Revolt of Man by Walter Besant end up subverting their own anti-feminist agendas and actually contributing to the political project of late-Victorian feminism by inadvertently demonstrating that the separate spheres of Victorian society were imbalanced and limiting.

Here is Christina’s advice to Honors Students undertaking their own Capstone project:

It’s never too early to begin your Capstone Project. This is especially true if you are aware that your workload will become progressively more challenging or you plan to travel abroad nearing the end of your college career.

Once you do begin your Capstone Project, time management is key. I highly recommend buying a planner and jotting down specific times in the week you plan to utilize for drafting your Capstone Project because trust me, you will being drafting and editing until the due date.

Most importantly, do not let anyone tell you completing the Capstone Project is impossible. This was a concern of my own, and now that I’ve completed the Capstone Project I could not be more proud of my endeavors.