Eagles showcase research at Celebration of Student Scholarship

For the 20th year, Morehead State University held its Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship on Wednesday, April 16. The event highlights students' academic research and creative work under the mentorship of faculty and staff.

Including presenters and attendees, the event had over 300 students and more than 80 faculty mentors. There were 80 posters and 50 oral presentations, and several students earned awards and recognition for their work.

"Because the event continues to grow, we've actually had to move our awards ceremony from ADUC theater to the Ballrooms to accommodate the crowd size," said Alexis Mathews, coordinator of undergraduate research. "Celebration is a great opportunity for current students to learn how they can be involved in research by seeing what their peers are working on. But for those who are presenting, the event gives them the opportunity to strengthen their communication skills and get experience disseminating their work, which is part of the research process."

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Award Winners

• A. Frank and Bethel C. Gallaher Memorial Music Performance Competition 2024-2025 winner – Dawson Dunning, Nicholasville
• Molly McBride Tutoring Excellence Award 2024-2025 winner – Colton Carmichael, Richfield, Ohio

Merit Poster Presentations

Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Photography Practicum: Learning The Basics of Managing A Fine Art Photography Studio - Ashley Routt*, Mason Pollock*. Dr. Robyn Moore, mentor, Department of Communication, Media, Art & Design
• Does Childhood Exposure to Substance Use Disorders Correlate to Adult Substance Use? - Hannah Jones*. Dr. Monica Himes, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• Textile Art Making - Miana Ratcliff*. Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido, mentor, Department of Communication, Media, Art & Design
• Soldiers And Spies: A Lady's Guide to Serving in The Civil War - Kaitlyn P'Simer*. Dr. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, mentor, Department of History, Philosophy, Politics, Global Studies & Legal Studies

College of Science & Engineering

• Tiny Earth: The Identification of Antibiotic Producing Bacteria From Soil Samples - Joe Redaer, Ava Reed*, Aiden Wagenlander*. Dr. Geoff Gearner, mentor, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Climbs: Revisiting Big Bone Lick to Develop a Late Quaternary Climate Record for Kentucky - Avery Wasinger*, Margaret Alden*, Hannah Sprinkle*. Dr. Jen O’Keefe, mentor, Department of Engineering Sciences
• Preventing CAUTI: A Quality Improvement Project - Hope Harris*, Zoe Holbrook *, Renan Dobbs*, Kylah Cropper*, Faith Bradley*, Amy McGimpsey *, Nina Wilson*. Dr. Mary “Suzi” White, mentor, Department of Nursing

Smith College of Business and Technology

• Business Plans to Address Community Needs for a Lasting Impact - Ilencia Lightbody*, Abby Taylor*, Alexandria Jent*, Andrea Newland*. Dr. Janet Ratliff, Dr. Kim Fatten, Tony Pence, mentors, Department of Business Administration

Craft Academy of Excellence in Science & Mathematics

• Craft Coalition FTC Robotics Team Fosters STEM Engagement Through Experiential Learning - Lucas Howard*, Ryan Triplett*, Noah Day*, Olivia Robinson*, Nate Italiano*. Dr. Rachel Rogers, mentor
• Entrepreneurial Community Improvement Program: Empowering Students Through Experiential Learning And Entrepreneurship For Community Impact - India Young*, Olivia Robinson, Luke Seelye*, Kaylee Pionk*, Jachin Wilbur*. Dr. Rachel Rogers, mentor
• Developing a Collaborative Study Resource for Craft Academy Students - Makayla Jones*, Annika Marshall*, Lucy MccLung*, Heather Rachelle Ott*. Ms. Donna Besant, mentor
• HGA - A Reimagined Legacy - Jaxson Brewer*, Jacob Layne*, Emma Laney*, Ashlee Foxworth*. Dr. Rachel Rogers, mentor
• Bringing Yeast Evolution to The Craft Academy - Roger Love*, Gabriella Ostrander*, Hannah O'Brien*, Kaylee Pionk*, Rebecca Bailey. Dr. Melissa Mefford, mentor, Department of Biology & Chemistry

Exceptional Merit Poster Presentations

Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Environmental And Social Determinants of Gastrointestinal Cancer - Leah Wells*, J.D. Berry*, Dylan Williams *. Dr. Timothy Hare, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Emotional Well Being and Addiction as an Adult - Joshua Croucher *, James Pauley-Barker*. Dr. Lynn Geurin, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• Sammie Slusher: The Price of Freedom - Dawson Helton*, Bryce Fletcher*, Ty Ledford. Dr. Adrian Mandzy, mentor, Department of History, Philosophy, Politics, Global Studies & Legal Studies
• A Study Examining How Religion and Spirituality Influence Substance Use - Jaiden McKenzie*. Dr. Monica Himes, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• An Eye for an Eye: How Revenge is Viewed as a Motive - Talon Stallings*. Dr. Elizabeth Perkins, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• Examining the Impact of the Opioid Epidemic on Social Service Agencies In Appalachian Regions of Kentucky - Alma Moreno*. Dr. Monica Himes, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology
• Associations Between Architectural Types and Artifact Classes at the Ancient City of Mayapan - Jaxson Brewer, Gillian Collins*, Charles Gunn*. Dr. Timothy Hare, mentor, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminology

College of Science & Engineering

• The Circle of Life...Or Not? Can Circular Chromosomes Undergo Meiosis - Devan Herald*, Rebecca Bailey. Dr. Melissa Mefford, Dr. Mark Wilson, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Nursing Education On The Prevention of Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia: A Quality Improvement Project - Meredith Hennion*, Trinity Ritchie*, Madeline Miles*, Audrey Evans*, Madelyn Robinson*, Caleb Campbell*, Jasmine Wellman*. Dr. Mary “Suzi” White, mentor, Department of Nursing
• Identification, Quantification, And Modeling of Novel Ddr R Interaction Partners - Ethan Newsom*. Dr. Janelle Hare, Mr. Christian Lowe, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Middle Eocene Ecosystems Recorded in the Zilpha Clay - Asher Jack*, Kyndra Gray*. Dr. Jen O'Keefe, mentor, Department of Engineering Sciences

Merit Oral Presentations

Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• A Veritable Revolution in Fashion: Accurately Costume Designing a Play Set in the French Revolution - Kadence Montgomery*. Ms. Rebecca Earehart, mentor, Department of Music, Theatre & Dance
• Voices of The Hills: Appalachian English Documentary - Zander Mack*, Heather Parks*, Steven Middleton (Class of 2004, 2008), Rianna Robinson (Class of 2005, 2021), Tony Pence. Dr. Ann Andaloro, mentor, Department of Communication, Media, Art & Design

College of Science & Engineering

• Kentucky Ant Project: Pheidole - Devin Jude*, Josiah Kilburn. Dr. David Peyton, Dr. Sean O'Keefe, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Correlating Placental Thickness and Fetal Kidney Length to Gestational Age - Kennedy Waldrop*. Ms. Jennifer Grace Clark, mentor, Department of Health, Kinesiology, Imaging & Psychological Sciences
• Comparing Sky Brightness in Certain Color Bands During an Eclipse - Brayden Schwegman*. Dr. Jennifer Birriel, mentor, Department of Engineering Sciences

Smith College of Business and Technology

• Fair Chance Employment: How Managers Can Fairly Meet the Needs of Second Chance Employees - Andrea Newland*. Dr. Johnathan Nelson, mentor, Department of Business Administration

Graduate School

• Emotional Intelligence of Early College High School Juniors and Academic Improvement - Donna Besant*. Dr. Michael Kessinger, mentor, Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education

Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics

• Special Needs Camp of Kentucky, Inc. - Joanna Brosseit*, Alana Campbell*. Dr. Rachel Rogers, Ms. Katelyn Harvey, mentors,
• Craft Academy Solar Electric Racing (Caser) - Jason Myers*, Zach Gross, Gabi Dobson, Micah Marsh*, Andrew Briggs*, Wesley Alexander*, Skylar Hu*, Matthew Shope*. Dr. Steve Stubbs, Dr. Joyce Stubbs, Dr. Rachel Rogers, mentors

Exceptional Merit Oral Presentations

Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• A Voice for the Suppressed: The Work of Desmond Tutu During South Africa’s Apartheid - Kinsey Thacker*. Dr. Alana Scott, mentor, Department of History, Philosophy, Politics, Global Studies & Legal Studies
• Lighting The Hills: Helen Price Stacy and the Story of Eastern Kentucky Through Human Interest Poetry - Gwendolyn Akers*. Dr. Matthew Sutton, mentor, Department of English and Modern Languages

College of Science & Engineering

• Kentucky Ant Project: Formica - Jonah Hunt*, Josiah Kilburn*. Dr. David Peyton, Dr. Sean O'Keefe, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Updates From the Kentucky Ant Project: New Species, New Protocols, and New Methods to Give Students A 'crash Course' In Ant Biology. - Josiah Kilburn*, Danika Da Fieno, Jonah Gibson, Devin Jude, Kash Hunt, Labindra Singh Dhami. Dr. Sean O'Keefe, Dr. David Peyton, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Kentucky Ant Project: The Genus Lasius - Danika Da Fieno*, Josiah Kilburn. Dr. David Peyton, Dr. Sean O'Keefe, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• Dissecting The Defects in Meiotic Viability of Telomere Free Circular Chromosomes in the Eukaryote Saccharomyces Cerevisiae - Rebecca Bailey*, Devan Herald. Dr. Melissa Mefford, Dr. Mark Wilson, mentors, Department of Biology and Chemistry
• A Probabilistic Approach to the Enumeration of Bounded Motzkin Paths Via the Gambler’s Ruin - Jacob Vogelpohl*. Dr. Rus May, mentor, Department of Mathematics

Volgenau College of Education

• Teaching Low Socioeconomic Rural Appalachian Kids: Are They Different Than Other Students? - Caroline Caudill*, Laurabeth (Libby) Oliver*, Madison Woosley*. Dr. Jeannie Justice, mentor, Department of Teacher Education

Graduate School

• "Here, One Day, May All I Am Be Welcome:" A Study of Queer Appalachian Literature - Megan Jones*. Dr. Matthew Sutton, mentor, Department of English and Modern Languages

Additional information about this event and MSU’s undergraduate research opportunities can be obtained by contacting Alexis Mathews, coordinator of undergraduate research, by calling 606-783-2229 or armathews@moreheadstate.edu.