AEC Posters
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Academic Excellence Celebration
These presenters are proud to share their scholarly and creative work. Working individually or collaboratively, they demonstrate their ability to apply, analyze, and synthesize knowledge gained from classes, majors, or graduate programs.
8:30 - 9:45
Location: Holman Library
Mentor: Dr. Guy Boysen
How Sex Education Affects the Future Feelings and Knowledge of LGBTQ+ People
Alexandra Walthes
Affordance Management and Schizophrenia
Mia M. Wylie, Kelsey D. Lyles, Divine Favour C. Ozomma
Taboo Topics in the Teaching of Psychology
Mia M. Wylie, Kelsey D. Lyles, Divine Favour C. Ozomma
Mentor: Dr. Ann Collins
In the Shadows: The CIA's Mission to Keep Us "Safe"
Conner Bennett
The U.S. of "EH!": Why the United States Should Become the 11th Province
Brianna Burke
Little Plastics, Big Problems: The Concern About Microplastics
Audrey Cain
From Welcome Mats to Border Walls: Comparing the Immigration Policies of the United States and Sweden
Patrick Cramer
The King's Gambit: Unitary Executive Theory and How Donald Trump and Other Presidents Fit the Mold
Patrick Cramer
Downstream Dangers: How Agricultural Runoff Contaminates Our Waterways
Austin Crouse
Fishing for Solutions: The Overfishing Crisis and the Role of Public Policy
Connor Hall
From Gridlock to Bullet Trains: Public Transport in the U.S. and China
Elijah Hansel
The Court's Secret Agenda: The U.S. Supreme Court's Shadow Docket
Dylan Kirchoff
When Rights Collide: The Second Amendment vs. Public Safety
Natália Králová
The Cost of Knowledge: Student Loan Forgiveness in the United States
Gunnar LeGrand
Books Today, Communities Tomorrow: How Libraries Work and How They Are Providing an Ever- Increasing Number of Services to Their Communities
Hannah Leslie
Blue, Gold, and Green Oceans: Finding a Balance Between Conservation and the Economy
Olivia Miner
Silent But Deadly: Hidden Price of Gas
Zane Phillips
Carp-e Diem: Seizing Invasive Carp Species
Mallory Snow
From Maple Leaves to Stars and Stripes: How Would the United States of America Benefit from Canada Becoming the 51st State?
Tyson Thompson
Private Military or Genocidal Boys' Club
Gracie Vincent
Check Your Baggage: The Impact of Plastic Bag Fees
Sydney Walter
Beyond the Bullet: A Comparative Analysis of Gun Rights in the United States and Japan
Jordan Wathen
Mentor: Dr. Vincent Dunlap
The Synthesis of Tautomerically Ambiguous Nucleosides as Antiviral Agents
Kyle Peck, Óscar José Jiménez de las Heras
Dye Synthesis for Breast Cancer Detection
MaryAnn Romagna
Mentor: Dr. Angie LaMora
Correlation of Depression and Acute Stress Response
Molly Detmer
Mentors: Dr. Angie LaMora and Dr. Maureen Wirschell
The Effects of Rosmarinic Acid on Heat Stress in Chlamydomonas
Kiley Schanuel
Mentor: Dr. Jenny Mueller
Catalyst Magazine 2025
Elizabeth Bocock, Madison Bonner, Jorden Eaton, Jasmine Gage, Emily Smith, Taylor Turner
Mentor: Dr. Rich Murphy
Cellular Shifts: Apply Marshal McLuhan’s Tetrad to the Adoption of Smartphones
Brylan Apholone
Fighting for Identity: Applying Co-Cultural Theory to UFC Fighters' Communication Strategies
Ihzel Brown
Expect the Unexpected: Applying Expectancy Violation Theory to the Dramatic World of Dance Moms
Felicity Crowell
The Silver Creators: Apply Expectancy Violations Theory to the Gen X and Baby Boomer Social Media Content Creators
Kyle Dailor
Power, Violence, Drugs, and Family: Applying Cultivation Theory to the Crime Drama Power
Jaylen Ford
Social Penetration Theory and Video Games: Building Relationships with NPCs
Kara Guetersloh
From Wilma to Chillie: Applying Muted Group to the Portrayal of Women in Cartoons
Elana Melzer
Scripting Certainty: Exploring Uncertainty Reduction Theory in Cinematic Relationships
Carter Rojek
“It's not your fault… It's not your fault”: Communication Accommodation Strategies in Good Will Hunting and The Great Gatsby
Cade Rosansky
“Open Up Our Eager Eyes”: Identifying Cognitive Dissonance in Popular Music
Greyson Skirpan
Addressing the Catfish in the Room: Social Information Processing Theory and Representations of Online Deception in Popular Films
Karin Tebelius
From Heroes to Family: Applying Social Penetration to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Courtney Ticknor
“Act Like a Parent, Talk Like a Peer, I Call it Peerenting”: An Analysis of the Family
Communication Patterns in Modern Family
Ellie Vetter
Revisiting The Fosters as a Reflection of Family Communication Patterns Theory
Natalie Witt
Mentor: Dr. Tim Ros
AdaptPak: A Modular Backpack for Dynamic Lifestyles – An Entrepreneurial Exploration into Customizable, Sustainable Carry Solutions
Tatiyana Fridge
Impact of Public Lands on Local Economies
Austin Vuichard
Mentor: Dr. Jean Sampson
Man’s Search for Meaning
Filip Cigic, Rylee Fox, Jamari Jackson
The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing+Do Anything=Have Everything
Schuyler Cramer, Arman Oshana, Emma Zinn
The How of Happiness
Lydia McAllister, Laynee Tapp
10 Secrets to Success after Graduation
McGray Noyes, John Rathbun, Jaylen Williams
Mentor: Dr. Robyn Swink
“Man Enough” to Kill: Masculinity and School Shootings
Aurora Abbruscato
Locked Out: The Ongoing Fight for Fair Housing
Caitlin Asbury
Fostering Unity: Strengthening Community Cohesion for a More Connected Society
Jespyn Bishop
Beyond Bars: Rethinking Rehabilitation in the U.S. Prison System
Jason Cousineau
Sociological Gender Studies for Occupational Therapy Practitioners: Breaking Binaries, Building Better Belonging
Kae Edgcomb
Working Moms
Keely Gruenenfelder
Unseen Barriers: A Sociological Examination of Why Students Fall Through the Cracks in the Education System
Sonia Halabi
A Step Backwards: Trump, Higher Education, and the War on Diversity
Kelly Kaylor
Rethinking Higher Education: The Case for Alternatives to Four-Year Degrees
Heaven Lawrence
Red vs. Blue, Green Always Wins: Lobbying Behind the Divide
Emma McIlhargie
More Than a Paycheck: How Minimum Wage Increases Shape Worker Well-Being
Alexis Munoz
Breaking the Cycle
Joseph Niesman
Your Coffee Shop, Their Home: Who Pays the Price of Gentrification?
Samantha Reich
Expanding Access: Strategies for Healthcare Improvement
Kyra Taylor
Beyond the Badge: Systemic Racism in the Criminal Justice System
Zariah Valentine
Broken Systems, Not Broken Kids: The Social Causes of Youth Crime
Ashley Walker
Redefining Strength: Transforming Masculinity in the Military
Blake Wind
Mentor: Dr. Tyson Thomas
What Affects a Wide Receiver's Salary
William Agnew
The Contributing Factors to Goalie Salary in the NHL
Garrett Crabtree
PGA Tour Performance in Majors vs. Non-Majors
Christian Davidson
The Relationship Between First-Serve Percentage and Player Performance Across a Tennis Season
Felix Diedrichs
The Impact of Possession on Match Outcomes in La Liga
Trystan Du Plessis
What Factors Affect Winning Percentage in the NBA
Grant Fridley
Performance and QB Salaries in the NFL
Elijah Grande
Team Performance and Attendance in the Premier League
Thomas Joubert
What Does it Take to Win in MLS?
Angelo Malek
How to Make the Playoffs in the NFL
Archie Minto
The Role of Nationality on Salaries in MLB
Riko Nakanishi
What Affects an NHL Team's Winning Percentage?
Johanna Rebello
What Affects an NBA Player's Salary?
Kevin Schuele
Understanding Earnings on the PGA Tour
Thomas Tollefsen
The Determinants of Winning in the Premier League
Riccardo Vettore
What Determines Fan Attendance in MLB?
Joseph Watkins
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Thompson
Black and Prosperous
Andres Aguilera
Tuskegee Air Men
Keion Afford, Quincy Hall, Tyzhon Randell
African American Flappers
Molly Bartz, Addison Holste
Women in the Black Panther Party
Taylor Boxwell, Jada Tolbert
HBCU
Jenyia Brooks, Kaleigha Grant
Black Hair and Its Memories
Jannyla Burris
The Six Triple Eight
Raziya Campbell, Machyra Murphy
Soul Food in Black America
Jason Davis, Aidan Weems, Dwayne Wilmington
Reverse Domestic Slave Trade: Occupations of the Great Migration
Landree Erwin
African American Entrepreneurs
Kaitlyn Goins, Jay Miller, Dylan Murphy
Written Words of Black History
Kennadi Hebel, MariEva Mallrich
Dwayne McDuffie: The Push for Black Superheroes
Austin Herrera
Black Americans in Politics
Matthaeus Hirschmann, Paul Norberg
Black Directors and Producers in Film
Hunter James
The Divine 9 History
Kylah Keys
Black Actors
Lauren Magnussen
Black Architecture
Esteban Mallory, Rajae Saunders, Brylee Throgmorton
Harlem Leisure and Entertainment
Stellan Matter, Xavier Newell, Bradon West
Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee
Malik Nave, Stephen Tolliver
Black Fashion
Devin Pedescleaux, Chase Toombs
Jewelry in Black Culture
Jonas Prewitt
The Black Arts Movement, Material Arts
Alanna Scott
Christianity in African American History
Gavin Shahan
Black Women in Law Enforcement
Ashley Walker
DuSable and the Chicago Migration
Kaleb Tucker, Ari Williams
Mentor: Dr. Hui Wang
Interpersonal Relationships and Coping Strategies Among Female College Athletes in Team Sports
Alixandria Grenzebach
Excessive Social Media Use and Attitudes Throughout Romantic Relationships in College Students
Raeghan Henrichs
Mental Health Literacy and Willingness to Engage in Help-Seeking Behaviors in College Students
Kelsey Lyles
