The EPET program requires students in year two to complete a practicum, or research internship, as a requirement for the doctoral degree. Beginning in the summer prior to my second year, I began to plan my original research project through several classes and with the help of various faculty.
I proposed my practicum project in the Fall of 2015; it was accepted and I immediately began working on enrolling participants. The research was conducted from November 2015 - May 2016, and the practicum was successfully defended in August 2016.
Titled "Social Justice, Catholic Participation, and Identity Development", the research examined the effects of the involvement of adolescents in a social justice curriculum called "Justice Walking". The curriculum lasted for 12 weeks, after which interviews and surveys were conducted. The resulting research showed that the participants in the curriculum were more likely to participate in their church and local communities following participation in the program.