One project focused on increasing access to health resources in an underserved rural community. A group of nursing students conducted a needs assessment to identify barriers residents faced in accessing primary care. They found that many residents struggled with transportation and were unaware of programs offering free or low-cost health services. The students worked with local officials and healthcare providers to start a weekly mobile medical clinic. They secured a donated van and recruited volunteer doctors, nurses and medical students to staff the clinic. On designated days, the van would travel through the community stopping in different neighborhoods to provide basic healthcare services. They centered the schedule around bus routes so it was easier for residents without vehicles to get to the stops. This significantly increased access to primary care for over 200 residents.
Another group of social work students focused on helping homeless youth in their city. Through research and interviews with social service providers, they learned there was a lack of emergency shelter beds for teens experiencing homelessness. To address this, they partnered with a local non-profit to repurpose an empty building as a transitional living facility for homeless youth ages 16-21. The students fundraised in the community to gather donations of furniture, kitchen supplies, books and other items to furnish the building. They also recruited volunteers to help with minor repairs and renovations. Once the shelter was complete, the students created an education and job training program for the residents to help them gain independence. Two years after opening, over 50 homeless youth had benefited from the new shelter and support services established through this capstone project.
Some engineering students worked to improve the water quality and reduce pollution levels in a nearby river that ran through their town. They tested water samples along the river and identified several areas with high levels of contaminants from agricultural and stormwater runoff. To address this, the students designed simple pollution filtration systems using readily available materials that could be easily installed and maintained. They taught local landowners how to build and deploy these systems on their properties near the riverbank. The contained areas where standing water attracted mosquitos, so the students also designed and built mosquito traps made from recycled materials that organic pest control agents. By trapping larvae and reducing the mosquito population, they helped curb the spread of diseases like West Nile virus in the community. Water testing showed pollution levels dropped considerably after these interventions.
A group of public health students noticed many elderly residents in low-income senior housing complexes struggled with social isolation and lacked access to nutritious foods. For their project, they started a community garden and cooking program. They worked with property managers to identify plots of unused land that could be converted to garden space. There, they involved residents in planting vegetables, herbs and fruits. The students also held weekly cooking demonstrations and exercised classes in a common area. By bringing people together regularly for these activities, they helped combat loneliness among residents. Excess produce from the gardens was also donated to a local food pantry, addressing both social and physical needs of community members. Evaluations showed the program significantly improved quality of life for over 100 older adults in the area.
Some architecture students were concerned with lack of accessibility in many older buildings in their downtown area. In their project, they surveyed different structures to assess ADA compliance and identified priority areas most in need of modifications. They partnered with small businesses to retrofit store entrances, add handicap parking spots and restroom accommodations based on their design recommendations. They installed automatic door openers, ramps, grab bars and other features to improve access for individuals with mobility and visual impairments. Not only did this make local shops more inclusive, it also helped businesses improve compliance with disability rights laws. It encouraged even greater community participation and civic engagement among members with varying abilities.
These are just a few examples of the diverse and meaningful capstone projects students across various fields have undertaken to enact positive change through community improvement initiatives. Whether addressing public health needs, enhancing accessibility and inclusion, generating solutions to environmental issues or developing new services and programs, these efforts work to holistically enhance quality of life for residents through hands-on, needs-driven approaches. Capstone projects provide valuable opportunities for applying classroom knowledge to real-world problems facing communities. The collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of these initiatives also cultivates leadership, teamwork and partnership-building skills that serve students long after graduation.