The Senior Integrated Project
MiaFlora ’23 presenting her SIP “Synthesis of Tripyridyl Ligands and their Mn(II) Complexes.”
What is the Senior Integrated Project?
The Senior Integrated Project (SIP) is a capstone experience, akin to a senior thesis, required of all students that showcases the critical thinking, communication, time management, and creative skills they have gained at K. While exact requirements differ by department—which does not have to be the department you are majoring in—all SIPs consist of original work or research, culminating in a report, performance, display or reflection.
You will have the freedom to design your own project—in partnership with your SIP advisor—that aligns with your personal and professional interests. Travel to an archeological site and participate in a dig, create your own art installation, research epigenetics, or create a plan to reduce food scarcity; the options are endless!
Over the course of a term or two, often paired with a summer research experience or internship in industry, you will dive deep into your project. Then in the spring of your senior year, the College will celebrate your accomplishments at various SIP symposiums on campus where you will present your work to your professors, classmates, friends and family.
The benefits of a Senior Integrated Project
Completing a SIP shows that you can successfully take a project from conception to implementation: independently identifying problems, gathering and analyzing information, coming up with solutions, and effectively communicating your findings with diverse audiences. These skills are extremely valuable and having your SIP as tangible proof of your ability goes a long way in setting you up for post-K success.
Many students have also been able to directly leverage their SIPs into other meaningful opportunities, such as an academic publication, speaking at conferences, creating a professional portfolio, and even landing post-graduation jobs.
What will you do for your SIP?
Explore your future profession
Ariadne Markou ’25, who plans to attend law school, wrote a research SIP in the anthropology and sociology department on creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. Ariadne’s work examines the social and cultural value of creative expression and draws upon legal theories and copyright law to suggest ways to better protect creators.
Conduct vital research
For her SIP, Brooke Dolhay ’25 traveled to the Philippines, learned to scuba dive and investigated why coral reef there are dying. As part of the Institute for Marine Research’s summer program, Brooke operated underwater cameras, collected data, analyzed the pictures—and found reason for hope.
Create your own work
A theatre major with a film and media studies concentration, Davis Henderson ’25 filmed and edited a documentary SIP chronicling efforts by southwest Michigan Potawatomi, including Henderson himself, to preserve and revitalize the Bodwéwadmimwen language. Titled BODEWADMI NDAW or I AM POTAWATOMI, the 20-minute film reflects the pride Henderson and others feel in their heritage.