Thesis Defense

Katie D.

May 30, 2010 - 6:33 PM

Friends and readers, the thesis process is over! After all these months of researching, outlining, questioning, reading, working, writing, and editing, the thing is done. On Friday I defended my thesis before my three faculty advisors and a group of some of my best friends and UO faculty and staff. I presented for twenty minutes, then answered questions for almost an hour.

Afterward I went out in the hall with all the people who had come to see me to wait while my committee decided if I passed my thesis.

I passed with distinction, the highest honor possible for an undergraduate thesis.

Even now, days later, I feel such an incredible mix of emotions when thinking back over my defense. I passed with distinction! I'm so happy.

The defense went really, really well. I was nervous, of course, but I've always kind of enjoyed public speaking, so that didn't scare me too badly. I also have been thinking about the project more or less nonstop for months now. They asked me some questions that were difficult to answer, and made me think about some things I hadn't explored yet. But I know the Inside-Out Program on a myriad of levels that no one else even gets close to. I know my project and the motivations and implications of the research and writing I have done. I have also managed to learn a good amount about larger issues of incarceration, crime, and criminal justice.

I was surprisingly calm for the whole thing.

Now, I'll admit freely to spending about ten minutes walking around campus before the defense, mumbling ideas to myself and trying to remember all the important points I'd wanted to discuss. I needed some movement to get the nervousness under control.

Another reason for my calm was my incredible group of friends. We've all gone to each other's theses and encouraged each other through the process. So I knew I'd be defending my thesis not only to my three advisors, who are professors I respect deeply and know well, but also to a room full of my closest friends. They were great audience members, too: they laughed at the right moments, made eye contact when I looked at them, and asked thoughtful questions when it was their turn.

In addition to the help they gave me during the defense itself, they were also incredibly helpful before and after my defense. My friend Madeline took me for errands in the morning, and we actually had some successful shopping therapy. I guess many of you don't know me well enough to know that shopping is usually something that stresses me out to the max, and not an activity I engage in without real need. However, on Friday we were shopping for a graduation dress, and we were at thrift stores. I found two perfect dresses and bought both, which seemed like a good omen. Then we ate at Cafe Yumm, my new favorite restaurant in Eugene. By the time I got back to campus for my pacing and muttering stage, I was feeling accomplished and full of good food. Then, after the defense, I went out for a celebration dinner with eight friends. It was wonderful.

I guess I haven't said much about the defense itself. I'll have video to post soon, when I figure out how to shorten the video to put on Youtube. And, if you're in Eugene, my thesis will be available in the Honors College library, printed and bound, for your reading pleasure.

I am overwhelmingly grateful. I am thankful for my friends, for the experience, for my fabulous advisors. I am so, so happy about this process and project, and the opportunities which arose from it. And I'm grateful to be done. Ready to have some more time for my other projects, and ready to know that this huge undertaking has been satisfactorily completed.