University Celebrates Student Scholars

“Factorial Structure of Attitudes toward Mathematics for USA Students,” “Participation in Sports for Children with Down Syndrome,” “Surfing Intervention for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” and “Application of Polymerase Chain Reaction to Detect Burkholderia gladioli DNA,” were among the 80 plus projects presented by more than 175 students at The University of Scranton’s Celebration of Student Scholars. The annual event, held May 2 in the Loyola Science Center, provided a forum for students to present their work conducted in collaboration with faculty using poster presentations, as well as oral presentations.

University senior Kylie Mignat presented “Framing Undocumented Immigrants in the Media: Effects on Public Support for Immigration Policies,” a study she conducted with faculty mentor Michael Allison, Ph.D., associate professor of political science. For the project, she reviewed the prevalence of use in media outlets of the terms “illegal immigrants” or “undocumented immigrants” as compared to the public support for immigration policies that favor a path toward citizenship. Her project, which examined data from 2011 though 2016, illustrated a correlation between “positive framing and a positive attitude toward immigration policy.” Mignat is a triple major in international studies, German cultural studies and Hispanic studies from Canadensis.

For University sophomore Amanda Horner, “Assessing Health Acquisition Preparedness in College Students” started as a class project for a community health education course. She continued the research project with sophomore exercise science major Brendan Gregory, Princeton Junction, New Jersey, and senior community health education major Miranda Colburn, Tunkhannock, and faculty mentor Rachel Francis, Ph.D., adjunct professor of community health education. Based on student surveys, their research found, undergraduate students’ comfort about their knowledge of health coverage decreases as they approach their graduation year. Horner hopes to use this project and additional research eventually to develop an educational intervention program to address the findings of the study. Horner, Buffalo, New York, is a community health education major and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program.

Fields of research presented at the Celebration of Student Scholars included biology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, chemistry, communication, computing sciences, English, exercise science, health administration, marketing management, neuroscience, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology and physics and electrical engineering, among others. The event is hosted by the University’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.