Montana's 2013 Two-Year Colleges Student Research Day projects | Highlands College

Posters

Celebrating two-year student research, creative and scholarly activites in all disciplines at Highlands College, Butte, Montana.

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A Comparison of Stress Levels Between Traditional and Non-Traditional Students

Taylor Duhame

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a traditional college student (ages 18-24) vs. a non-traditional student (ages 25 and over) described more stress in their lives based on different variables in their environment. Two research questions were used: R1- Is there a difference in stress levels based on traditional and non-traditional status. R2- What variables appear to affect the stress levels of traditional and non-traditional students? Some of these different variables include: status as a student, number of jobs worked, number of children, extracurricular activities such as sports or hobbies, and the amount of time students had to see friends. Forty four undergraduate students (N=44) at Montana Tech University and Highlands College of Montana Tech University completed a questionnaire consisting of closed ended questions. When looking at stress levels between my sample of twenty six traditional students and eighteen non-traditional students, non-traditional students seemed to be more stressed out than their traditional counterpart with the non-traditional students having a mean of 2.83 and the traditional student having a mean of 2.77.
College Student Stress

Kaylee Hafer

The purpose of this study was to clarify college student stress levels and understand possible correlations to their environments. Is there a differ-ence is student stress levels based on their ages or genders? Is there a difference in student stress levels based on their perception of high stress? The participants of this research consisted of (N=99) undergradu-ate college students. A modified stress scale, College Student Stress, was administered to measure the students various stressors and a t-test was used to evaluate the significant differences between variables. The results of this study showed that there were significant differences between the variables; traditional and nontraditional students, genders, and perceived stress levels.
The Correlation Between Diet, Exercise and Stress in College Students

Mary Catherine Hamm

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether or not there is a correlation between diet, exercise, stress and perceived personal health among college students. This study focuses on if age affects the amount of exercise and a person’s diet considering their stress levels, and perception of health. Surveys were distributed and students (N=30) at Montana Tech/Highlands College in Butte, Montana were asked to complete them following approval from the University of Montana Institutional Review Board. The results of this study concluded that non-traditional age students seem to get more things accom-plished, even though they reported higher levels of stress than traditional age students.
Social Anxiety’s Effect on Alcohol Use Among Students

Michael Helfich

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a correlation between social anxiety and alcohol use in college students. College students have a high likeli-hood of drinking due to college usually being a party culture. When you couple a party culture with factors such as stress and anxiety the ramifications can lead to excess alcohol use. These factors are a great reason to study how social anxiety effects alcohol use in college students and who it effects in this demographic. The results of this study will be of great importance to students, parents, and health care personnel as well as important to college faculty.
Depression Among College Students Based on Motivation, Age and Parental Status

Suzanne Nalivka

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether depression levels may be predicted by motivation among college students based on gender. Is there a difference in depression levels based on gender? Are there differences based on depression/motivation variables? The participants of this research consisted of (N=85) undergraduate college students. The Beck Depression inventory was administered to measure the degree of depression and a T-test was used to evaluate the distinction between the depression/motivation variables and gender. The results of this study showed that females seem to have a higher level of depression but also have a higher level of motivation.
Energy Drink Consumption and Stress Levels of Undergraduate College Students Who Are Introverts and Extroverts

Katrina Newlon

The purpose of this quantitative comparative analysis study was to determine the difference between perceived stress levels, and caffeine consumption (energy drinks) among undergraduate college students who are introverts and extroverts. Study questions include: Is there a difference in levels of caffeine consumption (energy drinks) and students who are introverts and students who are extroverts? Is there a difference between students who consume caffeine (energy drinks) and stress levels? IRB approval was obtained for this study. Participants (N = 93) were Undergraduate students and a sample of convenience. The study consisted of men (n = 47) and women (n = 46). An anonymous survey was distributed, and was self-disclosure style discovering gender, age, perceived and actual introvert/extrovert personality type, their caffeine consumption (energy drinks), and their perceived and actual stress levels. The survey included two Likert scales, one to determine level of stress, and another to establish introvert or extrovert status. From select questions in the stress scale, the results suggested that those who consume caffeine (energy drinks) were prone to a higher perceived stress levels.
Binge Drinking Among College Students: Differences By Gender

Amanda Sawicki

The purpose of this study is to find out if binge drinking effects behavior in college students based on gender by assessing the behavioral patterns and numbers of male and female partici-pants when engaging in alcoholic beverages. There are three research questions guiding this study: 1.Does binge drinking effect males more than females? 2. Does binge drinking lead to unnecessary injuries? 3. Does binge drinking lead to unsafe sex under the influence? Most research suggests males have more issues with alcohol than females. Surprisingly the statistics for this research project showed female participants outnumbered or ran close to the statistics with the male participants.
Self-Esteem, Anxiety and Suicidal Thoughts Among College Students

Shauna Stiles

The purpose of this study was to consider self-esteem, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among college students. The research questions that were set out to answer were: R1-Is there a difference in stress and anxiety based on gender? R2-Is there a correlation between mental health and the stress among college students? After a long semester of gathering research and bringing everything together it is finally the day to show the hard and strenuous work that students put into these projects. Our class, being the first research methods class at Highlands College of Montana Tech, have gotten to learn how to complete a research study based on obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and the chance to open the door to further studies on our results. As we get to present our posters and presentations to the faculty, students, and administra-tors it will be encouraging to students that the information is used and readily available to our community as well as others. Not only are we the first class in Butte to do this, but we are also preparing to present our projects at the Mon-tana Tech Techxpo and also at the 3rd Annual Student Research Day for Mon-tana’s Two-year colleges in Great Falls, MT. The results of this study were to consider self-esteem, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among college students, and significant results were found.
An Investigation to Compare Blood Pressure and Pulse Before and After Concentrative Meditation

Candice Welden

The purpose of this study was to understand if meditation over a short period of time, thirty days, can result in a significant reduction in stress. Does meditation decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels concerning undergradu-ate college students? The participants of this research consisted of (N=5) undergraduate college students. Blood pressures were taken on the first day of the study before and after meditation, and on the final day of the study before and after meditation. Participants recorded their heart rate each day over the 30 day study. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS14) was administered at the beginning of the study and at the close of the study to measure the participants’ stress level over the time of the study. The results of this study showed that the participants’ blood pressure and pulse rate were reduced after partaking in concentrative meditation before and after each day of the study and over the course of the study. Stress levels were also reduced over the thirty day period.
Potential Negative Effects Toward Health and Well-Being in Relation to Smart Device Use

Isaac Cruz

The purpose of this study was to consider the potential correlation between spinal and neck pain, depression, and college students’ time spent on a smart device. The problem is to understand rapid changes in technology use among college students, and how this may impact their health and wellbeing. As technology evolves, and most digital tasks are able to be performed within the palm of our hands. Health and wellbeing may be challenged in different ways. Though smart devices are used as a valuable resource for keeping up with daily advances, this also potentially places college students under a new risk which is unknown. Is there a correlation between frequency of technology use and most specifically smart devices and neck or spinal pain? Is there a correlation between the frequency of technology use and most specifically smart devices and depression? Is there a difference among students based on non-traditional and traditional students or gender between the frequency of technology use and most specifically smart devices and depression?
Concept Fire Truck

Breanna Biegler

A prototype Concept Fire Truck was designed using Autodesk Inventor 3D Design Software. Various pictures of old-time and toy fire trucks were utilized for this project. The prototype was printed using a 3D printer to verify that all parts of the truck would fit and work as intended.
Students Helping Students

PJ Bonney, Tyler Cahoon, Tyson Dippold, Paul Hart, JJ Potvin, Jim Strande, Billy Walker, and Keith West

A Montana Tech student was injured and his home needed to be made wheelchair accessible. Highlands College Construction Technology students designed and constructed an exterior ramp leading to the house as well as interior ramps between levels inside the house.
Naming a Mountain Peak - Montana Tech Peak

Jon Craig and Larissa Watson

While conducting research to measure and confirm the elevation of Silver Bow County's highest point, Table Mountain, a group of Montana Tech students came across a heretofore unnamed peak designated as Peak 10131 (which denotes it's height).
Highlands College Students' Driving Habits

Cory Doto-Dyer and Paul Clark

The purpose of this study is to understand driving habits of college students. The study demonstrates potential inappropriate behaviors.
Restoring the Richard's Cabin - Nevada City Living History Museum

Paul Hart

Highlands College Historic Preservation student, Paul Hart, enjoyed an internship in which he researched and accurately reconstructed parts of the Richard's Cabin at the Nevada City Living History Museum.
Assisting a Local Animal Shelter

J. J. Potvin and Jim Strande

Construction Technology students, JJ Potvin and Jim Strande assisted Pintler Pets, Montana's Anaconda-Deer Lodge Animal Shelter, with its recent major influx of feral cats by constructing a "lean to" addition to the building.
Vise Assembly

Charles Shaw

This poster illustrates the assembly of an engineer's vise, also known as a metal working bench vise or a fitter's vise. The purpose of this project is to enhance the student's ability to understand a basic engineering process.
Space Utilization for the Boulder Cemetery

Ray Woods, Aaron Peters, Bill Rees, and Jacob Schutz

The purpose of this project in Boulder, Montana was to determine how much usable space was left in the cemetery for future burials and to locate old burial sites where headstones no longer exist.