Undergraduate Research Symposium set for April 7 at Maryville College
They’re areas of study and research that are an integral part of the Maryville College experience, and on Thursday, they’ll be displayed at the fifth Maryville College Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The event, which is open to the public and free to attend, is part of a collaborative effort with other colleges and university members of the Council on Undergraduate Research, which promotes a month-long observance every April of projects that “support and promote high-quality mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry.”
The symposium begins at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in various locations around campus: Students of the Math & Computer Science and Natural Sciences divisions will present their research in the Fulmer Family Room of the Clayton Center for the Arts. Presentations by students of the Language & Literature, Humanities and Fine Arts divisions will take place in the Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal Room. Students from the Division of Social Sciences will present their research in Room 140 of Anderson Hall. Poster presentations will take place at 4:45 p.m. in the Grand Corridor of the Clayton Center.
The symposium celebrates a tradition that began in 1947, when a two-semester, faculty-guided independent study was made a graduation requirement of all Maryville College students. Although the name for the study has changed over the years — Special Studies, Independent Study, Senior Thesis, Senior Study — the required project has remained a common, shared experience binding alumni whose graduations span 75 years.
“The Senior Study is not the only form of undergraduate research undertaken at the College — students begin smaller projects in their first year, and the size and scope of these projects grow as students progress,” said Dr. Dan Klingensmith, vice president and dean of the College. “And we’re especially proud of the hands-on experience of our community and its opportunities and challenges through internships that students get through the Maryville College Works program. Some of our presenters will be speaking about recent internship experiences — a kind of first-hand research in keeping with our tradition of student-chosen, individualized study opportunities.”
Oral presentations by 13 participants in this year’s Undergraduate Research Symposium include:
Natural Sciences and Math & Computer Sciences Divisions
- D.J. Cooper ’22 (Business Analytics) — “Major League Pitchers after Tommy John Surgery”
- Becca Roberson ’22 (Biology) — “Population and Pals: A Study on the Gopher Tortoises of Cumberland Island and Their Commensals”
- Samantha Stacey ’23 (Biology) — “The Horseshoe Crabs of Cumberland Island, Georgia: A Population and Spawning Survey”
Fine Arts, Humanities, and Languages & Literature Divisions
- Chloe Hamlett ’22 (Writing Communication) — “A Cry in the Dark: Communications Practices in Major Criminal Investigations”
- Scotty Leach ’23 (History) — “The Decline of the Ottoman Empire and its Effect on the Palestinian Region and Peoples”
- Antonella Moscoso ’22 (Literature in English) — “The Influence of Italian Immigration on American English from 1820 to 1940”
- Makayla Nance ’22 (Theatre Studies and Writing Communication) — “An Exploration of the Absurd in Narrative and Dramatic Styles” Play: Lines from Scarlet
Division of Social Sciences
- Angela Anderton ’22 (Sociology) — “You Mad Sis? Black Women and Racial Battle Fatigue in Higher Education: A Biopsychosocial Analysis”
- Hailey Carmichael ’22 (Sociology) — “How Prevalent are Nationalism and American Exceptionalism in Tennessee’s Public Education System?”
- Sarah Cardall ’22 (International Studies) — “Corporate Consciousness: Morality in Governance and Social Responsibility”
- Tyler Ramsey ’23 (Finance/Accounting) — Presentation on Internship with Whitlock and Company
- Ana Tisdale ’22 (Criminal Justice) and Josh Campbell ’22 (Criminal Justice) — Presentation on Internship with New Hope Children’s Advocacy Center
A reception to honor these students and their work will coincide with the poster presentations, during which attendees will be able to talk to seven students from the five different academic divisions about their research and/or internship experiences. Those students include:
- Taylor Allin ’22 (Health & Wellness Promotion) — “Occupational Therapists Experiences using Virtual Telerehabilitation Therapy during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
- Emily Bridges ’23 (Marketing) — Internship with iXSystems
- Matthew Campbell ’21 (Business Analytics) — “Statistical Analysis of Home Advantage During Covid-19 in English Premier League Soccer”
- Davis Clothier ’22 (Exercise Science) — “Psychological Effect and Resiliency Due to Long-term Absence Injuries in Collegiate Athletes”
- Micaela Mouser ’22 (Criminal Justice) — Internship with Blount County Sheriff’s Office
- Nadia St. Thomas ’22 (Biochemistry) — “Observing the Dynamics of Bacterial Symbiont Transmission in Steinernema nematodes”
- Megan Strunk ’24 (Art) — Internship with the MC Design Lab
This year’s symposium marks the first time that internships and significant practical experiences have been included alongside Senior Study projects, in which students are challenged to take on large projects and break them down into a series of manageable tasks to complete with the advice and assistance of faculty members.
“Our graduates consistently tell us that Senior Study was one of their most valuable experiences at Maryville College,” Klingensmith said. “In a recent survey of young alumni, more than 82 percent reported that completing independent research at the College wasd a ‘very important’ or ‘important’ factor in their career success.”