The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Forum concluded April 28 with Wind Ensemble concert at Akin Auditorium — “Rhythm and Blue” — that included an approximately 20-minute awards intermission. During that intermission, undergraduates as well as graduates were awarded for either best oral presentation or best poster presentation from each department as well as ideaMSU. There were 34 posters and 12 of them, created by 31 students, received awards.
The result was different for psychology and sociology junior Catherine Stepniak, and accounting and sociology senior Careisha Whyte. The two won first place for the undergraduate best poster presentation from not one, but two departments: Prothro Yeager College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Fain College of Fine Arts for their poster Developing a New Newsletter for Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology.
“We were tasked with figuring out the best way to format a newsletter for the AACS to improve and increase its membership and to communicate effectively with its members,” Stepniak said of the 46 inch by 36 inch poster.
Whyte said, “Our project was an interdisciplinary applied project. We found the members preferred communication medium and made recommendations to the president on how best to implement it.”
She added that her project, working with mentors Bradley Wilson, assistant professor in mass communication, and Newman Wong, university research analyst, was fulfilling.
“It felt fulfilling to win because this is my first research project. I took time and effort , and it’s encouraging to see that all of our hard work was recognized.”
Whyte was unable to attend the ceremony but Stepniak accepted the award for the pair. Stepniak gleamed with excitement as she skipped down the aisle to accept both awards.
“It is such an amazing feeling that all of our hard work payed off. There were so many great presentations this year and I was not sure that we would win but we did and it’s unbelievable,” Stepniak said.
Read more:
Students spend months preparing for forum
Researchers develop parking app
12 oral research presentations recognized
Speaker encourages students to challenge common wisdom
Talks help improve speaking skills
Full disclosure: Bradley Wilson is also adviser to The Wichitan
