Project Information
About the Project
This site exists to translate academic research into practical guidance — helping Utah employers make more informed, equitable, and effective hiring decisions.
The Capstone Project
This website is a creative project component of a Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) capstone at Weber State University, completed in April 2026. The BIS program integrates three academic disciplines into a unified area of study — and this project applies that integrated approach to a real, pressing issue in Utah's workforce landscape.
Rather than producing a traditional academic paper alone, this project was designed to create something genuinely useful: a professional, research-backed resource that employers, HR leaders, and hiring managers can actually use to inform their practices. The aim is not to lecture or advocate — it is to inform, answer real questions, and reduce the fear that drives exclusionary hiring practices.
Three Integrated Areas of Study
Business Administration
Examines how second-chance hiring fits within broader business strategy — addressing workforce needs, retention, financial incentives, and organizational performance.
Leadership
Explores how transformational leadership, character, and psychological safety shape the conditions necessary for second-chance hiring to succeed at the team and organizational level.
Social Work
Grounds the project in research on reentry, recidivism, stigma, and the social determinants that shape employment outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Intended Audience
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Utah employers and small business owners navigating hiring decisions
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HR professionals seeking research-backed guidance on background check policies
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Hiring managers who want to expand their talent pool without unnecessary risk
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Organizational leaders interested in building more equitable workplace cultures
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Community organizations and workforce development partners in Utah
Project Details
Student
Kilee Hori
Course
BIS 4800 — Interdisciplinary Capstone
Institution
Weber State University
Instructor
Professor Susan Matt
Completion
April 2026
Integrated Disciplines
Business Administration, Leadership, Social Work