Academic Symposium Sessions Schedule

Steve Pearson, M.F.A., Professor, Art; Maureen Williams, Ph.D., Lecturer, Biology

This session combines two distinctive faculty presentations. Hear from Professor Steve Pearson about his 12-drawing series inspired by the 12 labors of Hercules that depicts his experience moving to the suburbs in fall 2019 “in an attempt to interrogate the disciplined tasks of the suburban homeowner as a cultural staple of the American middle class.” Lecturer Maureen Williams discusses her research on parasite communities in marine ecosystems, specifically from 11 islands within the Pacific Line Islands archipelago.

Tori McArthur, junior, Elementary Education

This session invites participants to learn about the development of teaching skills of fifth to sixth grade level math. Rooted in the application of the 5 Practices of Math Teaching framework — anticipating, monitoring, selecting, sequencing, and connecting — attendees will engage in a dynamic, hands-on exploration of fractions and cake packaging tailored to the grade level. Join us for an interactive and focused professional development experience, where theory meets practice in an engaging setting. 

Daniel Adum, senior, Biology; Noah Honick, sophomore; Anders Madsen, senior, Accounting, Business Administration, and Economics; Conny Spiess, junior, Art

This presentation features screenings and discussions of four animated shorts created in the Honors Animation Design course. Discussion will focus on each film’s animation process, with attention devoted to story development, design aesthetic, filming technique, set design, and sound. Each film is approximately four minutes, with the following titles: “The Circle of Life,” “Where Lost Balloons Go,” “Expressionless,” and “My Dog is a Canvas.”

Gretchen McKay, Ph.D., Professor, Art History; Andy Deleon ’23, Marketing; Chris Wright, junior, Communication

Enslaved people such as “Dave the Potter” in South Carolina and “Ann,” a sixteen-year-old enslaved girl in Virginia, created works of art far beyond simple utilitarian objects. They instilled creative energies, and in the case of Dave the Potter, words into their works of art. This session will look at these works and consider the act of creation as an expression of resistance and a way to maintain individual humanity in spite of horrific circumstances made to dehumanize them.

Chesna Bosnic, senior, Psychology; Kendall Catlin, senior, Psychology; Signé Kula, senior, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and Psychology; Brandy Murphy, senior, Psychology

This session features the Honors projects of graduating Psychology majors.

Kendall Lanham-Fennell, senior, Political Science and Philosophy; Sam McKone, senior, Philosophy

Hear from Philosophy seniors on their original research.
 

Beth Aleligne, senior, Social Work and Political Science; Tamia Bydume, senior, Social Work; Amber Chenoweth, senior, Social Work; Autumn Cunningham, senior, Social Work; Rowan Daly, senior, Social Work; Kyla Farmer, senior, Social Work; Zack Fedders, senior, Social Work; Cora Fyffe, senior, Social Work; Estefania Garcia-Torres, senior, Social Work; Sarah Leizear, senior, Social Work and Psychology; Rachel Marks, senior, Social Work; India Oliver, senior, Social Work; Dylan Owens, senior, Social Work; Ally Paiz-Santos, senior, Social Work; Simone Smith, senior, Social Work; Breonna Stratton, senior, Social Work; Tamera Tilghman, senior, Social Work; Emma Votta, senior, Social Work; Maya Williams, senior, Social Work

Social Work students share their experiences with field placement agencies.

Lyneia Richardson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counseling

This presentation by Assistant Professor Lyneia Richardson explores the concept of “decolonization” in education and challenges traditional teaching methods through the use of Ubuntu philosophy. It identifies Sankofa, liberatory education, and experiential learning as core tenets, empowering students to address their needs, recognizing the inherent freedom in education, and linking theory to real-world challenges through critical analysis and self-reflection. This session offers strategies for dismantling hierarchies and integrating diverse perspectives to create inclusive, equitable learning spaces that lead to transformative praxis. 

Paul Muhlhauser, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English; Jeremy Hasson, senior, Writing and Publishing; Jennifer Madison, junior, Writing and Publishing; Izzi Sweet, senior, English

It’s easy to be a fan of a team when it’s local: It’s your home team. It’s easy to cheer for a great player: He/she/ze has the styles, skills, and personality you love. It’s difficult to root for a team, player, or personality if your politics and values are out of sync with theirs. From Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem to the WNBA’s dedication of their season to Breonna Taylor, athletes are increasingly politically polarizing figures as media environments have enabled them to “speak up and dribble” in more accessible ways. In this session, student researchers and Associate Professor Paul Muhlhauser describe “What’s Your Jock Support,” a database cataloguing American athlete behavior, evaluating their politics, and creating a venue for fans to consider who and what they are cheering for.

Meg Christie, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies; Collin Baechli, senior, Environmental Studies; Olivia Sunde, senior, Environmental Studies and Biology; Samantha Donnelly, senior, Environmental Studies; Gwen Coddington, College Archivist and Special Collections Librarian; Lauren Portis, senior, Environmental Studies; Zoe Shelby, junior, Art; Jim Kunz, Ph.D., Professor, Social Work; Nicki James, sophomore, Social Work; Cathy Orzolek-Kronner, Ph.D., Professor, Social Work; Elly Engle, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies; Carl Feibusch, senior, Environmental Studies; Jennifer McKenzie, Ph.D., Professor, Kinesiology; Richard Laird, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kinesiology; Ellie Glass, senior, Health Sciences; Luke Kelly, senior, Kinesiology; Elaina Kluttz, senior, Health Sciences; Michael Polen, Ph.D., Lecturer, Chemistry; Michaela Richardson, senior, Health Sciences; Xochitl Arzate-Juarez, senior, Biology; Angalyn Strouse, junior, Biology; Stephanie Homan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry; Dalton Pearl, senior, Biochemistry, Physics, and Chemistry; Suruchi Karki, junior, Biomedical Science; Peter Craig, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chemistry; Lauren Logue, senior, Health Sciences; Ashley Reyes, senior, Health Sciences; Victor Heasley, senior, Health Sciences; Joshua Marchand, senior, Computer Science; Monty Clay, senior, Mathematics; James Opre, junior, Mathematics; Jason Bruder, senior, Economics-Math; Moonasia Williams, sophomore, Cinema; Emily Liszewski, junior, History; Arianna Lowengrub, sophomore, Writing and Publishing; Farzad Ahmadi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Physics 

Poster session featuring student-faculty research projects in a variety of subjects including Environmental Studies, Social Work, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Chemistry, History, and more.

Jake Carin, senior, Elementary Education; Jocelyn De Leon, senior, Elementary Education and Spanish; John Geniti, senior, Elementary Education; Katie McPhillips, senior, Elementary Education

This session, in roundtable discussion format, will highlight the experiences of current pre-service teaching candidates. Join some of McDaniel’s Elementary Education majors as they share their explorations in beginning practitioner research. They will describe a specific “problem of practice” they identified, studied, and reflected on during the student-teaching semester. Multi-faceted ways to collect evidence of positive teacher impact will be a focus. How do pre-service teachers know they’re making a difference? Learn how 2024 Education graduates are poised to be the teachers that today’s young learners need. 

Chloe Irla ’07, M.F.A., Associate Professor, Art

Irladen Design Studio was established in 2022 by Associate Professor Chloe Irla. Irladen produces multidisciplinary projects rooted in observation, place, and seasonality. This session will allow visitors to browse books and printed matter produced by irladen, including a series of handmade books included in the Home & Garden collection; Garden News!; Parenting Through Anything magazines issues 1 and 2; and Snowballtimore. Visitors will be able to enter a raffle for their own irladen book collection. 

Becky Carpenter, Ph.D., Professor, English, and President, Delta of Maryland Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; Lynn Wheeler, Lifelong Learner Award recipient and retired Executive Director, Carroll County Public Library

First, Professor Becky Carpenter, president of McDaniel’s Delta of Maryland chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa national honor society, presents “Chafing at the Rules, Defying Expectations: The Women of Western Maryland College in the 1920s” about what life was like for women at Western Maryland College in the ’20s. She examines how they pushed back against restrictions, working to gain greater autonomy and escape the narrow strictures of prescribed female collegiate behavior. Their organizations and writings in the school newspaper provide insights into their vision of the collegiate experience, their ambitions and dreams. Then, McDaniel’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter will award Lynn Wheeler, retired executive director of the Carroll County Public Library, with its Lifelong Learner Award. This award is given to an individual in the local community who has pursued intellectual inquiry beyond their professional field, thus demonstrating the liberal arts value of lifelong learning. Named Carroll Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2022, Wheeler is currently involved with local nonprofits, including the boards of the Historical Society of Carroll County and Carroll County Arts Council.

Jaay Dukes, senior, Psychology and Art; Sofia Gillespie, senior, Psychology and Art; Kiara Gilliam, senior, Psychology; Kaylyn Jennings, senior, Psychology; Jailyn Johnson, senior, Psychology; Katie Klein, senior, Psychology and Kinesiology; Signé Kula, senior, Psychology and Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies; Faith McAvoy, senior, Psychology; Katie Morgan, senior, Psychology and Business Administration; Brandy Murphy, senior, Psychology; Choice Ogba, senior, Psychology and Criminal Justice; Linda Phan, senior, Psychology and Criminal Justice; Karen Poliks, senior, Psychology; Stacey Small, senior, Psychology and Criminal Justice; Paige Weatherly, senior, Psychology; Zion Williams, senior, Psychology; Storm Womack, senior, Psychology

A lightning round of Psychology capstones with the theme of “Giving Psychology Away,” a term created by then-president of the American Psychological Association George Miller, who challenged psychologists in 1969 to share their knowledge more widely. Senior Psychology majors identified a need for a better understanding of some aspect of psychological research, an audience that would benefit, and objectives to determine if their efforts have been successful. They share their projects and the impact they have had on our community. 

Elly Engle, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies; Hira Khan, junior, Biology; Lauren Portis, senior, Environmental Studies; Oliva Sunde, senior, Environmental Studies and Biology

The Shaffer Forest Garden was established at the McDaniel Environmental Center to engage the college and local partners in restoration of environment, community, and individuals through annual and perennial agriculture installations. In summer 2023, a team of Environmental Studies faculty and students generated a planting plan for the “Jam Garden” installation, an area intended to feature a diversity of fruiting plants that can be used for edible, medicinal, and entrepreneurial purposes. Students created an interactive database of native and non-native fruiting plants, including evidence-based details on production needs and uses that informed a final planting design. In October 2023, McDaniel community members planted dozens of locally sourced fruiting shrubs. This presentation will detail the students’ research process, key features of the database, and reflections on the planting process, from paper to soil.

Linda Semu, Ph.D., Professor, Sociology; Kayla Gauger, senior, Sociology and Criminal Justice

The American Sociological Association calls Sociology “a 21st-century major.” This is based on the relationship between the dictates of the 21st-century labor market that is fast-paced, ever-changing, increasingly global, and technologically driven; and the tools Sociology majors acquire that help them to navigate the ever-changing world. This presentation will highlight the experiences of a current student who gained skills through a senior capstone course. It will also demonstrate the skills former students acquired through the Sociology major by highlighting various careers they have since embarked on. 

Maddie Principe, sophomore; Wenfei Xie, Xi’an Jiaotong University

This session will explore the social, economic, and political contexts of housing issues in China and America through video content. From overcrowding to unaffordable rents, the post-pandemic state of housing in China and America share similarities and unique differences. What are the roles of the state and market in solving the housing problems in the two countries? How can China and the U.S. learn from each other to address and resolve the issues? Join this session to learn more.
 

Zach Brown, senior, Biology and History; Sydney Lewis, senior, English and History

Zach Brown analyzes the ways in which the advent of World War I laid the foundation for the development of curative solutions to bacterial infections such as phage therapy, sulfa drugs, and antibiotics, while Sydney Lewis discusses research on the connection between sex, marriage, and sexuality in 17th-century Puritan New England through the scholarly writings of 20th-century historians.
 

Favour Aguoru, senior, Health Sciences; Matt Denny, senior, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dalton Pearl, senior, Biochemistry, Physics, and Chemistry; Michaela Richardson, senior, Health Sciences

Students who engaged in Chemistry research will present on their projects and findings.

Danielle Carter, senior, Political Science and Theatre Arts; Bella Myers, senior, Theatre Arts; Kim Parson, senior, Theatre Arts

In this session, three Theatre Arts seniors will share their area of expertise with attendees, from monologues to designing theatre lighting.
 

Marco Moore, junior, Philosophy; Max Sweeney, senior, Political Science and Philosophy

Hear from Philosophy students Max Sweeney and Marco Moore on their original research.
 

Taylor Bjerkaas, senior, Chemistry; Makela Brown, senior, Biochemistry; Khaleel Lee, senior, Biochemistry; Lauren Logue, senior, Health Sciences

Students who engaged in Chemistry research will present on their projects and findings.

Madison Denion, senior, Communication; Nick Foley, senior, Communication; Isaiah Holmes, senior, Communication; Monte Prinz, senior, Communication; Nia Roberts, senior, Art and Communication

Communication majors will present their capstone projects.

Robert Kachur, Ph.D., Professor, English; Brianna Feliciano, junior, English; Dante Martin, junior, English

In fall 2023, Professor Robert Kachur and 19 Nature Poetry students met weekly at the McDaniel Environmental Center (MEC) to experientially engage poetry and nature. With celebrated poets serving as nature guides, they paid attention to the intellectual, physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of transformative learning through a range of embodied outdoor activities: breathing-focused meditation, solitary wandering, physical labor, ritual, and intentional imagining and remembering. In this presentation, Kachur and three students reflect on the powerful results of this non-traditional approach to studying poetry, the natural environment, and our own human identity.

Claire Hopkins, senior, Psychology; Quinn Kirk, senior, Psychology; Tyra Pritchett, senior, Psychology; Avery Sesney, senior, Psychology; Justus Smith, senior, Psychology and Kinesiology; Bri Vaughn, senior, Psychology

A lightning round of Psychology capstones with the theme of “Giving Psychology Away,” a term created by then-president of the American Psychological Association George Miller, who challenged psychologists in 1969 to share their knowledge more widely. Senior Psychology majors identified a need for a better understanding of some aspect of psychological research, an audience that would benefit, and objectives to determine if their efforts have been successful. They share their projects and the impact they have had on our community.

Amy McNichols, Ph.D., Associate Professor, World Languages, Literatures, & Cultures, and Director of Global Fellows; Caleb Bowden, senior, Political Science and Economics; Tatiana Hamilton, senior, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science; Hope Hatamleh , senior, Kinesiology; Kramoh Mansalay, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and Biomedical Science; KC Van Mater, senior, Political Science; Katie Wiseman, senior, Communication and Spanish

Come celebrate the work of graduating Global Fellows. Each senior presents a poster of their capstone research and special projects, sharing how they have infused global learning into their majors.

Wesley Gant, junior, Physics; Dalton Pearl, senior, Biochemistry, Physics, and Chemistry

Join two Physics majors who will speak about their student-faculty research projects. The goal of Gant’s research, titled “Resonance for Tied-arch Bridges under Stress: Examining Potentially Destructive Frequencies and Structural Keystones,” was to determine whether the resonance frequency of this tied-arch bridge design can be modeled with a simply supported beam. Pearl speaks on “Synthesis and Characterization of Polystyrene Nanosphere Photonic Crystals,” about the growth and characterization of photonic crystals (PhC) done at McDaniel. 

Svetlana Tokareva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Marketing

In this session, Assistant Professor Svetlana Tokareva introduces her original research on the spillover effect of a product recall at a U.S. food retailer on the shareholder value of rival food retailers. 
 

Nya Scott, senior, Philosophy and Criminal Justice; and Brendan Stonesifer, senior, Philosophy

Hear from Philosophy students Nya Scott and Brendan Stonesifer on their original research.
 

Katya Dovgan, M.F.A., Senior Lecturer, Art; Carter Timmons, senior, English; Lydia Varacalle, senior, Criminal Justice

Learn about the Basics of Art Conservation course and admire the processes of restoration of The Beatles’ song “Now and Then” and an ancient Japanese ceramics repair technique using pure gold. This lecture-presentation will be richly illustrated with slides, music, and songs!

Joan Liptrot, Director of International and Off-Campus Programs, Center for Experience and Opportunity; Kaami Effa, junior, Political Science and Philosophy; Sebastian Gomez, senior, Biology; Nicki James, sophomore, Social Work; Kramoh Mansalay, senior, Biomedical Science and Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies; Leah Somerville, sophomore, Political Science

A panel of McDaniel students who have studied abroad during January Term, summer, or a semester will share how they overcame their own fears, faced challenges, and learned to thrive in new and unexpected circumstances. 

Gretchen McKay, Ph.D., Professor, Art History; Santana Abney, sophomore, Psychology; Kaitlyn Barker, senior, Art; Sean Carter, senior, Communication; Kenneth Dempster, sophomore; Tommy Di Iaconi, first-year, History; Sylvan Eichenlaub, sophomore, Marketing; Michael Franc, senior, Environmental Studies; Gillian Girod, junior, Art; Roxy Givens, sophomore, Criminal Justice; Dale Hise, junior, Cinema; AJ Johnson, senior, History; Jack Katunich, sophomore, Cinema; Sean Kelly, sophomore, Business Administration; Kiera Lachlan, senior, Psychology; Kaitlyn Lane, senior, Health Sciences and Kinesiology; Angela Lopez, first-year, Accounting; Alejandro Marugan, first-year; Regan McPherson, junior, Kinesiology; Ryan O’Donnell, senior, History; Rebekah Piel, sophomore; Noah Renner, junior, History; Audrey Saenz, first-year; Cevin Slominski, first-year; Mandy Smith, junior, Art; Sophia Smith, first-year, Psychology; Ella Zahn, senior, Student-Designed European Studies

Attend a Roman dinner party, researched and designed by students in the course Roman Art and Architecture! Enjoy aspects of a traditional Roman dinner party like menu options (though no food will be served), furniture, decorations like mosaics and wall paintings, and other aspects of the Roman dinner party, an essential part of Roman patrician life.