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Seven seniors complete honors program with projects rooted in research and community impact

Apr. 21, 2026

Seven Lakeland University seniors completed requirements this spring for the institution’s rigorous honors program.

Lakeland’s honors program provides a unique opportunity for students to take an alternative track through the interdisciplinary studies requirements. Students choose what they want to study and what they want to learn, all the while working closely with faculty and staff to help guide their learning. They are initially part of a cohort taking courses together before branching off to do their own work.

The honors program culminates with a senior project, which can involve anything from an academic breakthrough to a societal contribution.

This year’s honors project students include:

• Serena Brunner, a biology major from Glenbeulah, Wis., planted five pollinator gardens at Lakeland to increase the biodiversity on Lakeland’s campus and reduce flood risk. She obtained seed donations from a local prairie owned by a Lakeland alumnus, coordinated with Lakeland’s grounds departments to use the no-mow areas to support prairie growth, organized students to assist with planting and developed educational signs for the gardens. After graduation, Brunner plans to work prior to pursuing a doctoral degree in ecology or microbiology.

• Elizabeth Hockenhull, a business administration major from Howards Grove, Wis., combined her passion for service and her dedication to her hometown of Sheboygan. To raise awareness about the local unhoused population, she organized a very well-attended on-campus event with a panel of local non-profit professionals. She is forging ongoing connections between those agencies and the Lakeland community. After graduation, she will start working as a communications channel marketing specialist at Acuity Insurance.

• Lauryn Johnson, a criminal justice major from Kenosha, Wis., created a well-received LGBTQ+ Muskie Journey at Lakeland. The event had numerous booths sharing valuable knowledge on intersectionality, how to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, and interactive educational opportunities to create art, craft positive messages, explore identity and participate in a trivia competition. She conducted a survey measuring participant reactions and knowledge following the event. Johnson plans to attend UW-Milwaukee to earn a master's degree in criminology​​.

• Makayla Lister, a business administration major from Davenport, Iowa, conducted an extensive literature review of trauma, its impact on a person’s physical and mental health, healthy coping mechanisms and therapeutic treatments. She also surveyed the Lakeland student body to measure their knowledge of trauma. She shared her accumulated knowledge of trauma and the survey results during Lakeland’s undergraduate research day. Lister will pursue a master’s in business administration at Louisiana State University and then plans to attend law school.

• Mary Johnson, a biology major from Sheboygan, Wis., explored the connection between an individual’s social media habits and their knowledge of mental health. She deployed a survey measuring social media usage and mental health literacy in Lakeland’s student body. The survey focused on YouTube and Tik Tok and results showed that increased time spent on those social media platforms was associated with reduced mental health literacy in the areas of beliefs and resources. After graduation, Johnson will pursue a master’s degree in nursing at Marquette University.

• Hannah Pratsch, a mathematics major from Sheboygan Falls, Wis., developed a tremendous resource for the Lakeland community as she worked on revising the career development website in collaboration with LU’s Career Readiness Department. She included valuable information on job searches, resume building, networking, cover letter writing and more. Pratsch will soon start a job at Bemis working as a systems analyst.

• Olivia Swenson, a psychology major from Seymour, Wis., carried out research on the mental health of student athletes and learned about both the positive and negative impacts of participating in college athletics. She developed a detailed interview to explore the challenges and support experienced by Muskie athletes and plans to share the results of these interviews on the LU Athletics website. After graduating, Swenson will pursue a master’s degree in sport, exercise and performance psychology at UW-Green Bay.