Annual Celebration of Scholars showcases student research, creativity

A buzz of conversation filled the J.W. Jones Student Union’s third floor on April 1 at Northwest Missouri State University, where students shared their research, performance art and creativity during the annual Celebration of Scholars.

This year’s event showcased more than 100 presentations, including virtual showcases, exhibits, oral presentations and poster sessions. It also featured three students who won a three-minute thesis contest sponsored by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in March and a music recital featuring six performers.

At the conclusion of the symposium, more than 60 participating students were honored for their presentations. A complete listing of award winners and their presentations is provided below.

The interdisciplinary academic symposium, a tradition at Northwest since the 1990s, brings together students, faculty and the campus community to celebrate scholarly work and innovation while reflecting the University’s ongoing commitment to student success.

­Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and organized by faculty, the event showcases outstanding research, creativity and academic achievements of students.

“I just want to express my gratitude to all of the student participants and their faculty sponsors for such an incredible day – a display and showcase of the absolute talent and brilliance that we have at Northwest,” Dr. Elise Hepworth, the dean of Northwest’s College of Arts, Communication and Social Sciences, said. “This has been something that’s really exciting, and part of our focus at the institution is profession-based learning and profession-based experiences. I can’t think of a better way to display those experiences and that learning than this showcase.”

The day’s presenters included Noah Heck, a senior agriculture science major from Coon Rapids, Iowa, who demonstrated a robot he has been working with for nearly two years as part of the School of Agricultural Sciences’ systems management for agricultural mechanics and manufacturing program.

Heck, who had never worked with a robot before, enrolled in an applied robotics course with Dr. Daniel Ess, an assistant professor of agricultural sciences, and became enamored with what the device could do. At the Celebration of Scholars, Heck demonstrated some of the processes and actions he helped the robot learn, through a computer program, including its capability to grip a plastic cap and screw it onto a soda bottle.  

Heck, who will graduate from Northwest this spring, plans to work at his home farm and continue exploring the use of robotics in relation to farming operations.

“It didn’t take long for me to figure it out,” he said. “Students can use this to learn the basics, the fundamentals of robotics, because robotics will be used in farming one day.”

Among the poster presentations surrounding the Student Union Ballroom, Isabella McMillan, a senior biology major from Clinton, Missouri, shared the research she conducted with Charles Whitehead, a senior wildlife and ecology major, to study the effects of location on the fur color of squirrels.

Inspired by the different colors of squirrels she spotted on opposite sides of the Northwest campus and in alignment with previous research, McMillan hypothesized that a squirrel’s location plays a role in their fur color. The students’ findings suggested, that local conditions, low melanistic frequency or weak selection pressures may impact fur colors and that urban influences are not consistent in all populations.

McMillan, who hopes to build a career in conservation education, said she appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Celebration Scholars to share her research while seeing the variety of projects other students have completed at Northwest.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for me to speak to people of all different kinds and be able to have a chance to educate them about something I’m passionate about,” she said.

Nearby, Eva Heady, Kayson Brown and Savannah Young presented their research findings detailing CO² production in house mice during stressful situations. The students observed mice in a chamber and tracked their CO² production for a timeframe in two scenarios – first in a relaxed state and then while a heavy metal song was played next to their chamber.

Each of the eight mice they observed showed an increase in CO² production and groomed themselves more during the stress period. The results, the students suggested, may be used to improve animal welfare practices in lab settings.

Young, a junior marine biology major from Warrenton, Missouri, and her study partners agreed that practicing research and presenting it will benefit them as they look for careers in science fields.

“I do want to get into research – maybe not with mice or fish – but it definitely builds confidence,” Young said. “I want to be able to present to kids, teach them more about the oceans and fun things like that, so I’m hoping it carries through.”

Award recipients

College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences 

Applied Problem-Solving Award – For practical solutions to real challenges in the fields of agriculture and natural sciences

• Ethan Easter and Shelby Harris, “Growth Responses of Henbit Lamium Amplexicaule Under Simulated Fall and Winter Conditions In Northwest Missouri”

Sustainability & Stewardship Award — For leadership in environmental and economic sustainability

• Jake McCart, Ava Pillers, Peyton Connell and Lucas Campbell, “How Shark Teeth Reflect Their Prey”

Experiential Learning Award — For excellence in hands-on or outdoor learning

• Emily Brewer, Hailee Williams and Katrina Chagollan, “Phosphorylation of Cytosolic Human Malate Dehydrogenase and its Effect on the Enzymatic Activity”

Innovation in Technology and Agricultural Practice Award — For creative improvements in systems or processes

• Emma Foster and Kenna Konfrst, “Freezing Induced Cellular Damage in Freshwater Algae”

Public Engagement and Communication Award — For making complex science accessible to others

• Katherine Roseman and Mara Mitchell, “Effect of feed nutritional value on dominance interactions at bird feeders”

Collaborative Impact Award — For teamwork in applied projects

• Madalyn Forbes and Chanda Sunderman, “Show Me Value Added Agriculture”

College of Business, Mathematics & Technology

Entrepreneurial Innovation Award — For new ventures or business ideas

• Bala Murali Manikanta Yalla, “Bearcat Wellness: A Mobile Application for Student Health and Wellness Services”

Professional Excellence Award — For outstanding applied professional work

• Keegan Peterson, “Unpacking Consolidated Reporting Standards Mechanics and Interpretive Limits”

Technology Implementation Award — For real-world tech or systems solutions

• Kriti Niure and Sai Abhigna Talla, “Helping Hands: An AI-Integrated Volunteer Matching Application”

Data-Driven Decision Making Award — For effective use of analytics and emerging research 

• Kimberlie Hedrick, “Financial Transparency for Ronald McDonald House Donors”

Leadership & Team Impact Award — For collaborative project leadership

• Wiam Kitar, Yousra Tabite and Chantal Rouc, “Design and Evaluation of an AI System for Multi-Dimensional Harm Detection”

Client or Community Impact Award — For measurable positive impact for the community

• Jacen Piatt, “Student Game Design”

College of Arts, Communication & Social Sciences 

Visual Arts Award — For excellence in visual artistic expression, honoring originality, technical skill, and creative vision

• Ferdous Akter and Carol Grace Riner, “Iowa Stands for Section Five Hundred and Four”

Digital Media Excellence Award — For outstanding achievement in digital media, including film, multimedia, and interactive design

• Karsen McCune, Anonda Martinez, Val Carvajal and Colaiah London, “Conceptual Art Presentation”

Literary and Scholarly Expression Award — For excellence in written work, recognizing clarity, originality, and strength of voice

• Zachary Eisentrager, “An Absurdists Queer Reading PS Absurdists should be possessive but your form doesnt allow punctuation in the title box”

Storytelling and Communication Excellence Award — For exceptional communication that engages and informs audiences through compelling storytelling

• Maddie Fenimore, “History of Jazz From Slavery to Modern Jazz”

Community Engagement and Public Scholarship Award — For projects that demonstrate meaningful civic or social impact through engaged scholarship

• Alora Bucey, “The Tattooing Field and The College Effect”

Social Inquiry and Research Impact Award — For thoughtful examination of social issues through rigorous analysis and meaningful insight

• Kentaro Onishi, “Comparing Russia and China Nature of Bureaucracy and Leadership in Authoritarian States”

Cultural Impact and Global Perspectives Award — For work that elevates diverse perspectives and fosters greater cultural or global understanding

• Andrew Hedin, “Syncopation or Social Movement The Impact of Ragtime on American Musical Theatre”

Collaborative Creative or Scholarly Project Award — For Celebrates excellence in teamwork and shared achievement in creative or scholarly projects

• Kate Frakes, Jordan Nance, Alice Moring and Jessica Johnson, “Photorealism Vodcast”

Creative Performance Award — For live or recorded performance in the performing arts 

• Payton Dollin, “Over the Rainbow” (marimba solo); Corbin Estes, “Love Went a Riding and Questo amor, vergogna mia” (voice solo)

College of Education, Health & Human Services

Creative Expression Award — For artistic or media excellence

• Milan Aranda, Madisyn Matlick, Caelin Robinson, Taylor Recoy, “Implementing Techniques and Strategies of Evaluation Instruction and Behavior in Special Education for Students with Autism”

Storytelling & Communication Excellence Award — For clarity, persuasion, and audience engagement in written, spoken, or multimedia communication

• Gracyn Carper, Kaitlin Like, Emma Dammen, Brylee Diederich, “Implementing Techniques and Strategies of Evaluation Instruction and Behavior in Special Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities”

Community Engagement & Public Impact Award — For civic or social impact

• Giselle Martinez, Hannah Shoemate, Kayla Smith, Caitlyn Booker, “Implementing Techniques and Strategies of Evaluation Instruction and Behavior in Special Education for Students with Emotional Disturbance”

Cultural Perspectives Impact Award — For elevating diverse voices, explores cultural identity, or deepens understanding across communities and global perspectives

• Ana Maria Giraldo Moreno, “Factors Influencing Latin American Parents’ Decisions to Support Their Children's Postsecondary Education in the United States”

Collaborative Creative Project Award — For excellence in teamwork and shared achievement in creative or academic projects

• Daniela Van Jaarsveldt, Haley Sebranek and Lily Crom, “Beyond Medicine the Role of Leisure and Play in Pediatric Critical Illness”

Public Engagement Award — For connecting scholarship to audiences

• Alyssa Cage, Lauren Lynch, Salem Atkinson, Tobias Cervantes and Gabriela Cinelli da Silva, “The Effect of Art Interventions on Self-Reported Emotional Wellness.”

Content Mastery Award — For extraordinary depth of knowledge

• Abby Swink, “Dopamine, Social Media and Exercise”