"Thesis is my life right now," jokes Meredith McLean '01. As a double major in psychology and classical and medieval studies (CMS), McLean is completing her senior thesis requirement for both disciplines during winter semester. Her two theses, a service-learning project and an analysis of a Greek tragedy, have each exposed her to different aspects of the thesis experience.

McLean's CMS thesis — examining ancient Greek society through a psychoanalytic interpretation of Aeschylus' "Prometheus Bound" — is a more typical research- and writing-based thesis. So for psychology, McLean opted to complete a service-learning project, allowing her the opportunity to study and work in an off-campus setting. "Service-learning was something I knew I wanted to do as a psychology major," she said. "You see that what you've learned in class has some bearing in the real world."

For her project, McLean studied integrated schooling at Kid's Corner in Auburn, a pre-school for both disabled and non-disabled students. "It's a major issue right now to see if inclusive schooling is advantageous to both sets of kids," explained McLean. To fulfill the thesis requirement, McLean must perform background research, spend 50 hours working at the school, and create a portfolio detailing her experiences and her final conclusions. So far, McLean has drawn one conclusion from her work at Kid's Corner: she plans to work with young children either as an occupational or speech therapist. "Both thesis experiences have been rewarding," she said. "But service-learning definitely helped me to choose a career."