Resident Capstones — home

Elaine Townsend of Cafe Mochiko on Making Connections through Food

Growing up in Hong Kong, visiting bakeries every day for bread or pastries for breakfast was a big part of my life. It was something I dearly missed when I moved to the United States. I had a hard time finding creative pastries until roughly two years ago when my roommate brought home some ube croissants from Cafe Mochiko. Since then, I witnessed how the business and its reputation grew.

As a pastry lover and cafe explorer, I was over the moon when I found out Mochiko opened up its own brick-and-mortar cafe on Madison Road. I visited the sunlit cafe on a chilly fall morning. As I was sipping my hojicha milk tea, it felt like home. That was the moment I decided to chat with the cafe owners.

From her childhood stories to getting a physical space for Cafe Mochiko during COVID time, co-founder and chef Elaine shared with us her journey of finding herself and her connection with communities through cooking and food.

May 2022, Entrepreneurship, Resident CapstonesJanet ChuMay 6, 2022Community Mix

The Role of an Advocate: Zoe Miller and Cheniece Wilson on Challenging Rape Culture on Campus

As the official Campus Advocates for the University of Cincinnati, Zoe and Cheniece are responsible for creating awareness and education around gender-based violence. The pair focus on connecting students who have experienced gender-based violence to appropriate resources, being a confidential support system for survivors, and more.

The Students (and the Compassion) Behind Springdale’s Free Health Clinic

As a resident of Women of Cincy, I was charged to create a capstone project, something that would top off this experience and serve as a culmination of my work. While at Women of Cincy, one of the most surprising aspects was the emphasis on empathy. I’m always astounded by people taking the initiative for others, or wielding selflessness for the health of a community.

A Girl on a Farm: Exploring Cincinnati’s Urban Agriculture

The Women of Cincy capstone project allows residents to take on a project that’s wholly their own – from ideas to research to interviews and production. When I began thinking about my project this summer, I couldn’t get away from the subject of farming.

Yes, farming. It’s not something we usually think about despite its prevalence in our day-to-day lives, but having had the opportunity to take a class on the subject last spring, I wanted to dive deeper. How does farming affect our lives here in Cincinnati, and how can that relationship change?

Over-the-Rhine: A Gentrified Home

I’m a journalism student at the University of Cincinnati, and throughout my four years of writing, I never felt as though the stories I tackled truly challenged me. So for my capstone, I wanted to choose a topic that would do just that: challenge me, make me look at something in a different way, and shine light on an important issue. After reading Women of Cincy’s housing insecurity series, I decided to look at gentrification in Over-the-Rhine.

May 2019, Outreach + Advocacy, Resident CapstonesKarina BaffaMay 3, 2019Community Mix

What Does Being a Woman Mean to You?

Being a woman today can be extremely confusing. We’re living in a time when the word alone carries a million different meanings. For my capstone project, I set out to find what being a woman means to those in our community.

May 2019, Resident CapstonesLeigh Ann PopikMay 2, 2019Community Mix

The #SerendipityScrapbook

Fulfillment is a three syllable word whose definition resulted in me having several existential crises and muttering the phrase, “I will never find fulfillment” on more than one occasion. For my capstone, I decided to research fulfillment and after defining it, speak to people who felt they had found fulfillment. I hoped to learn how to make the best of my senior year of college and set myself up for fulfillment success. But as I began researching the topic, I realized that no one has really defined what fulfillment is. Some articles involved 30-year-olds talking about how they had found it, where others mentioned that you cannot find fulfillment unless you are near the end of your life and looking back on it.

From the Residents, Resident CapstonesKate DuceySeptember 27, 2018

The Editorial Residency: My Mom Made Me Do It

I still don’t know if I was qualified to be one of the editorial residents this past spring, but I am beyond thankful that Kiersten and Chelsie thought I was. I learned more about myself and my passions than I ever thought I would, and got to meet some badass women along the way.

Resident CapstonesLindsay CombsMay 22, 2018

From Mexico to Cincinnati: Angelica Perez

Angelica greets us with a smile and a toddler on her hip. The little boy, who I later find out is named David, keeps tapping her cheek as we climb up the stairs. I marvel at her ability to balance the active toddler and climb three flights of steps. Her journey to the U.S. began 16 years ago, and if one thing stands out among those 16 years, it’s the moments of family she’s experienced.

From the Residents, Resident Capstones, Outreach + AdvocacyLauren LewisMay 8, 2018

From Nepal to Cincinnati: Budhi Lamichane

At various points during the interview, trains rattle by the house, and we pause when they whistle their arrival. When they fade into the distance, Budhi continues, sharing with us her love story, journey, and the differences between the life she led in Nepal, and the life she’s created in Cincinnati.

From Syria to Cincinnati: Mariam Alzoubi

On a rainy Cincinnati day washed in diluted sunlight, Mariam Alzoubi sat down with Women of Cincy editorial resident, Lauren Lewis, to share stories about her life in Syria, her journey to the United States, and the adjustments she’s made since starting a new life in Cincinnati.

The Faith of Four UC Women

In the upstairs room of Rohs Cafe, I was joined by four women, students at the University of Cincinnati, who graciously volunteered to discuss their faith. That’s not an easy conversation in this day and age. But with Zara Ahmed, Jessica Friedman, Carrie Shephard, and Faryaal Zindani, it was a conversation that flowed with ease and understanding.

Arts + Culture, From the Residents, Resident CapstonesLindsay CombsApril 24, 2018

Portraits of Mentorship: Mandy Shoemaker & Alesha Hamilton on Giving Life a Shot

With only one semester of her undergraduate education to go before heading to law school, Alesha has been lucky to find not only role models, but also important friendships among advisors and other students. Mandy, her University of Cincinnati Honors Program advisor, finds inspiration among Alesha and other students who push themselves outside of their comfort zones. The two have grown together over the past few years and helped each other in ways they wouldn’t have imagined, expanding the typical roles of the mentor-mentee relationship.

Education, From the Residents, Resident Capstones, Outreach + AdvocacyEllen HugginsDecember 20, 2017

Portraits of Mentorship: Dr. Jane Sojka & Hannah Fereshtehkhou on Confidence in Selling Yourself

After a long Tuesday proctoring a final marketing exam for the semester, Dr. Sojka and Hannah met with me in Dr. Sojka’s office. Their motto is that “everybody sells something,” especially themselves and it is important to build the confidence to do so. Despite the quiet halls of the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati, they remained lively in their conversations – although that could have been the sugar from the cookies Dr. Sojka offered us.

Education, From the Residents, Resident Capstones, Outreach + AdvocacyEllen HugginsDecember 18, 2017

Portraits of Mentorship: Dr. Karen Bankston & Sara Burke on Nurses' Impact

In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, Dr. Karen Bankston and Sara Burke of the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing squeezed me into their busy schedules. The enthusiasm they carried about their impressive careers and hope for the future was felt throughout the room. “It’s not your mother’s nursing school,” Dr. Bankston says as she reflects on the differences of nursing education through the years. While some aspects have stayed the same, both of these women find their passion in driving change beyond hospital walls.

Portraits of Mentorship

Many of us are lucky enough to name 10 to 15 role models that have shaped who we are today. Our educational years mold us greatly in our future professions. Those in the beginning stages of their careers need attention and interest from those around to help them in shaping their goals and reaching their full potential. Through this series, I was able to focus on students pursuing different goals, personally and professionally, to discover what makes the role of mentorship in their lives so special.

Education, From the Residents, Resident CapstonesEllen HugginsDecember 11, 2017