Capstone Thesis Program
“Christianity reveals the sacredness of the word—a truly divine gift to man. For this reason, our speech is endowed with tremendous power. . . . It can sow the seeds of a question, of the possibility of a different approach to life, of the desire to know more. We have no idea, in fact, how we constantly influence one another by our words. . . . To control speech is to recover its seriousness and its sacredness.” Alexander Schmemann
At the Geneva School, words are at the heart of what we do. As our students grow in wisdom and virtue, they learn that eloquent speech has power, whether for good or ill. In their final year of rhetoric studies, students focus on deliberative speech, which moves an audience toward responsible action in accordance with what is good and fitting. Seniors come to understand that to make a good argument requires them to consider an idea in a reasoned way, to take a clear and specific stand, and to go to great lengths to understand and refute opposing viewpoints. Their training culminates in the Capstone Thesis, a well-researched and carefully articulated argument about a contemporary issue that is presented according to classical arrangement and defended before faculty members, parents, and peers.
During the course of the year, students visit a research library, read, reflect, interview an authority on their subject, and discuss their argument with their teacher and classmates, all in an attempt to understand their issue and to situate it within the greater conversation about what is good. Then, with their particular audience in mind, they explain what they have learned and propose a way forward. Each senior is also assigned a faculty mentor who helps the student clarify their argument, gives feedback on several drafts of their paper, and provides encouragement. It should be noted that the thesis represents the student’s own understanding and does not necessarily reflect the position of the school, the thesis teacher, or the student’s mentor.
In order to succeed in this challenging task, seniors must commit to growing in a number of skills and habits: careful research, clear and organized writing, judicious time management, humble response to criticism, tenacious commitment to truth. These qualities will serve them well in college and in life, whether they use them to write a research paper, a business proposal, or an impassioned plea before a school board or city council. But we hope that beyond these practical benefits, the Capstone Thesis will help the students get in touch with—and maintain—a passion for making the world a better place, guided by a love for God and his creation.
2025 Capstone Thesis Award
The Capstone Thesis Award is a $750 scholarship funded by a private individual upon the recommendation of the thesis director and the school administration. This award recognizes a student whose thesis epitomizes the scholarly and rhetorical qualities we seek to foster through the thesis program: thorough research, knowledgeable inquiry, persuasive writing, and cogent and thoughtful speech.
This year’s winner was enthusiastic, serious, curious, dedicated, and flexible; and his determination to say something of significance was inspiring. Always on track and frequently ahead of schedule, he wrote, rewrote, and rehearsed his thesis with great diligence, which led to a powerful and engaging presentation that will not easily be forgotten. In fact, those who heard it may have experienced what Larry McMurtry described as “a small pulse of triumph at the temples: the strange, almost communal sense of triumph one feels when someone has written truly well.”
The winner of the 2025 Capstone Thesis Award is Micah Swain.
