Land Surveying Capstone Project assisted Big Bone Baptist Church & gained media attention


Students who completed the Land Surveying bachelor’s degree in 2022 recently gained media attention for their community service Capstone Project– a boundary retracement and topographic survey for Big Bone Baptist Church in rural Boone County, Kentucky.

Using information and photos provided by the students, the Northern Kentucky Tribune published a story about the project in March 2023. Additional coverage of the project by a trade magazine is anticipated.

Video of the students’ 1-hour final presentation for the Capstone can be viewed on YouTube.

Nine students were involved in the semester-long project that established the boundary of the church property, located marked and unmarked grave sites in older sections of the graveyard, and created a preliminary cemetery database for historical purposes. The student work was guided by Land Surveying Program Chair Dr. Carol Morman and Professor Jim Decker.

Capstone Project students included Darrick Davidson, Joseph Ernest, Levi Exline, Bryant Favors, Macalister Keeley, Jeff Kraus, Jessica Lyttle, Gunnar Seig, and Shane Strotman.

Snow added challenges to finding old grave sites
Snow added challenges to finding old grave sites

Preliminary work on the project included research on previous site surveys and property deeds for the church, which raised numerous challenges since the church was established in 1843. After locating and interpreting the historical records, students could start technical work at the site with modern surveying equipment, including a drone flyover, to collect needed data.

A team from ESP Associates, Inc. from North Carolina assisted the students by using ground-penetrating radar to locate burial sites where headstones had crumbled or had been moved from the original locations.

Project deliverables for the church included drafting the materials that meet Kentucky legal requirements for a single deed for the entire church property, rather than multiple deeds for various portions of the property. The students also provided materials that will help the church establish a formal database for the cemetery.

Students said the Capstone was a unique experience that expanded their understanding of land surveying and gave opportunities to build their skills in client communications as well as honing their technical skills as surveyors.

The 2023 Capstone class for Land Surveying is focusing on newer sections of the cemetery.

Big Bone Baptist Church Cemetery
Big Bone Baptist Church Cemetery
Land Surveying students Darrick Davidson, Macalister Keeley,
Bryant Favors, Joseph Ernst, Levi Exline, Gunnar Seig, Jessica Lyttle, and Shane Strotman
Land Surveying students Darrick Davidson, Macalister Keeley, Bryant Favors, Joseph Ernst, Levi Exline, Gunnar Seig, Jessica Lyttle, and Shane Strotman (Not Pictured: Jeff Kraus)
Student-prepared map shows the individual parcels that make up the church property
Student-prepared map shows the individual parcels that make up the church property