Academic Excellence Celebration 2020
Welcome to our virtual/electronic 2020 Academic Excellence Celebration. Below you
will find the names of our outstanding students and the titles of their submissions.
To find specific titles or names, you can search by pressing "Control (or Command on Macs)+F."
Feel free to share, comment, and participate on our AEC Facebook page and use #McKAEC2020 when posting.
Students in McKendree’s Honors Program work closely with faculty mentors to complete original research in their fields of study. These presentations represent the culmination of honors students’ projects and allow them to share their knowledge in a public forum.
Title: Optimizing Student-Athlete Engagement Beyond the Field of Play
Name: Shayli Florine
Mentor: Dr. Elisabeth Erickson
In this presentation, I will discuss research findings of current practices in various NCAA Division I student-athlete support services programs. Also, I will discuss how similar practices are important and could be implemented at the NCAA Division II level.
Title: Community Engagement in the WNBA
Name: Megan Jensen
Mentor: Dr. Elisabeth Erickson
In this session, I will discuss research that investigates the relationship between community engagement of Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams and the league’s success. Interviews with WNBA community relations professionals as well as WNBA fans were used to complete this research.
Title: Impact of Angling Depth and Species on Barotrauma Severity and Reflex Impairment
Name: Andrew Althoff
Mentor: Dr. Michael Louison
This presentation will cover the results of research I conducted with Dr. Michael Louison in Winter 2020. The research focused on the effects of fish capture depth on barotrauma, a condition that arises from overexpansion of a fish’s swim bladder.
Title: Biotic Integrity of Shoal Creek and Silver Creek
Name: Wyatt Dimke
Mentor: Dr. Michael Louison
This session will summarize the historical biotic integrity of local streams.
Title: Addiction and Stigma: Differences in Attitudes Towards Self-Medicating Behaviors
Name: Rebecca Chicosky
Mentor: Dr. Guy Boysen
The stigma associated with drug addiction creates a cycle of discouragement from seeking treatment and a negative environment for addicts. The current research examines opioid drug addiction stigmatization and attitudes towards physiological and psychological self-medicating behaviors.
Title: The Relationship Between Social Media, Depressive Symptoms, and Personality
Name: Kathryn Krouse
Mentor: Dr. Guy Boysen
This session will exhibit the presenter’s research study observing social media usage, depressive symptoms, and personality. The findings and potential implications of the study will be discussed.
Title: Behold the Man: An Analysis of the Indeterminate Ecce Homo and Its Roots
Name: Zachary Breeding
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Zanelotti
Much of the interpretive work surrounding Friedrich Nietzsche’s final work Ecce Homo has been that of ridicule and dismissal. This presentation will seek to re-open the book in an analysis of its satiric roots, its place as an ending, so to speak, to Nietzsche’s work, and as a revaluation of that which has been dismissed.
Title: Landfill Gas Energy Technology
Name: Matthew Meals
Mentor: Dr. Adam Tournier
This session will explore a possible source of alternative energy that is stinking up cities across the nation: landfill methane. Using food waste from Ames dining hall, the presenter quantifies methane production off organic waste and applies the data to established costs in the industry. Through this application, the presentation will highlight the cost efficiency of landfill methane.
Title: The Relationship Between Learning Ability and Aggression in Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) Part I
Name: Madeline Shea
Mentor: Dr. Michael Louison
This session will discuss the relationship between learning ability and aggression in bluegill. The presenter will showcase the background, methods, analysis, and impact of the research.
Title: The Relationship Between Learning Ability and Aggression in Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) Part II
Name: Madeline Shea
Mentor: Dr. Michael Louison
This session will discuss the relationship between learning ability and aggression in bluegill. The presenter will showcase the background, methods, analysis, and impact of the research.
Title: The Effect of Alcohol Exposure on Zebrafish Neuroanatomical Pathways
Name: Cody Masching
Mentor: Dr. Angela LaMora
This presentation will showcase the effects of alcohol on the neuroanatomical development of zebrafish.
These presenters aim to share their scholarly and creative work with the campus community and beyond. Students work individually or collaboratively to demonstrate their learning in these engaging presentations.
Title: What’s Trending in Health and Wellness: 2020 and Beyond (Circadian Health) – Part I
Name: Scott Lyman
Sponsor: Dr. Karan Onstott
This session will address three key trending areas of health and wellness for 2020 and beyond. How can technology support mental health? What are some innovative ways to reap the benefits of mindfulness? What is circadian health, timeshifting, thermal wellness, circadian lighting, and circadian dieting?
Title: What’s Trending in Health and Wellness: 2020 and Beyond – Part II
Name: Taylor Bailey, Samantha Medeiros
Sponsor: Dr. Karan Onstott
This session will focus on both integrative health and wellness strategies and wellness vacation destinations. Both are booming and becoming mainstream and well understood, finding ways to combine body, mind, and spirit activities to generate overall well-being. Wellness destinations allow people to experience a vacation that does not have them returning home thinking they need a vacation. Examples of integrative strategies and wellness destinations will be presented to help attendees learn how and where such vacations can be taken.
Title: Market Capitalism Microcosms and The Maltese Falcon
Name: Zachary Breeding
Sponsor: Dr. Martha Patterson
This presentation will analyze the concept of market capitalism microcosms and the way they are created, particularly within Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. In this presentation, not only will the microcosm within The Maltese Falcon be made clear but also its effects on the characters within the novel, with special attention to how these attributes and effects relate to Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto.
Title: Political Correctness as It Was Intended
Name: Jazmine Patton
Sponsor: Dr. Richard Murphy
This presentation only scratches the surface of the topic that is political correctness. It will focus on the aspects of political correctness that the presenter encounters daily.
Title: Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light, Go: Testing Reaction Time with Five Interventions
Name: Bryce Bambic, Elia Burbidge, Kavari Cunningham, Matthew Detore, James Ding, Magdalena Knapp, Madeline Kuper, Tyler Love, Caitlyn Lowry, Dylan Powell, Garrett Rappolee, Shaun Reid, Abigail Schacht, Jonathan Turner, Qian’te Wagner
Sponsor: Dr. Tami Eggleston
Reaction times are essential for athletic success. In this experimental study, five interventions were tested to measure improvements in hand-eye reaction times. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and sport participation were also collected and correlated with reaction-time speed. Strategies to improve reaction times will be discussed.
Title: Transgender Athletes in Sports
Name: Ashley Reynolds, Emily Westlove
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
The world is changing. Society and social norms have changed the way people are perceived. Some people are more accepting of these changes than others. The presenters will share the effect of transgender athletes in sports and their acceptance by society in their respective sports.
Title: Incarceration in Children's Lives
Name: Ryan Reader and Trevor Rieck
Sponsor: Jennifer Miller
This session will provide information about student success from the perspective of multiple academic lenses. Presenters will describe specific scenarios/challenges facing students in higher education from their major-specific point of view. This session will be conducted in a “TED Talk” format.
Title: Beyond the Classroom: My Journey to Washington, D.C.
Name: Wes Werner
Sponsor: Jennifer Miller
My presentation will highlight my experience as president of the Tau Sigma honor society, highlight my trip to the national convention in Washington, D.C., and discuss the importance of experiences outside of the classroom to promote personal growth during college.
Title: Research in Accounting Theory Capstone Projects - Qualified Income Deduction
Name: Kailey Anderson
Sponsor: Terese Kasson
This session will provide information about the accounting research projects conducted by students in their capstone accounting course, ACC 431–Research in Accounting Theory.
Title: Research in Accounting Theory Capstone Projects - The Cash Flow Statement
Name: Tyler Goebel
Sponsor: Terese Kasson
This session will provide information about the accounting research projects conducted by students in their capstone accounting course, ACC 431–Research in Accounting Theory.
Title: Research in Accounting Theory Capstone Projects - The History of Deferred Taxes
Name: Rebecca Linck
Sponsor: Terese Kasson
This session will provide information about the accounting research projects conducted by students in their capstone accounting course, ACC 431–Research in Accounting Theory.
Title: Research in Accounting Theory Capstone Projects - The New Lease Standards
Name: Griffin Menkhaus
Sponsor: Terese Kasson
This session will provide information about the accounting research projects conducted by students in their capstone accounting course, ACC 431–Research in Accounting Theory.
Title: Research in Accounting Theory Capstone Projects - Changes to Revenue Recognition
Name: Hannah Rigdon
Sponsor: Terese Kasson
This session will provide information about the accounting research projects conducted by students in their capstone accounting course, ACC 431–Research in Accounting Theory.
Title: Montage Announcement
Name: Summer Brooks
Sponsor: Dr. Jenny Mueller
Title: National Debate Champions and the Work of Frank Wilderson
Name: Mitch Deleel and Adeja Powell
Sponsor: Joseph Blasdel
Academic posters use visual language to communicate scholarly research; poster presenters
also practice articulating their findings succinctly and clearly. Many instructors
promote their students’ engagement with the academic community by incorporating poster
presentations into their courses.
Title: Social Media and Self-perception: An Investigation into Instagram and Mental Skills Performance
Name: Elia Burbidge
Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen
Title: Why Your Professor Hates You: An Analysis of Professors’ Views on Dislikable Students
Name: Rebecca Chicosky, Erin Delmore
Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen
Title: Emotional Response and Behavior Towards Stigmatized Disabilities
Name: Kaitlyn Grubbs
Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen
Title: The Relationship Between Happiness and Humor
Name: Kathryn Krouse
Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen
Title: Students’ Typical Study Habits and GPA
Name: Alynnah O'Leary
Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen
Title: Violence in Hockey
Name: Jarad Wahl and Trevor Rieck
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
Title: The Effects of Track and Field Supplementing the Four Major Sports
Name: Katelyn Conner
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
Title: The Commodification of Black Bodies
Name: Alexandria Glaudé
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
Title: I used to Love My Sport
Name: Mya Watson-Blake
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
Title: Caffeine Dependency Among College Athletes
Name: Connor McCormick, Jacok Reinkemeyer, Hayden Schaefer
Sponsor: Dr. Mark DiDonato
Title: Random Dungeons
Name: Michael Barker
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: TJW Exotics
Name: Daniel Filipek
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: SRS Web Application
Name: Adam Jolly
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Unity Horror Game Project
Name: Erynne Moore
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: McKendree Events App
Name: Anthony Murat
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: The Wizard’s Tower
Name: Cole Nordmann
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Dungeon Viewer
Name: Kyle Nordmann
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: The Ghost Server
Name: Travon Prude
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: McKendree ChatBot
Name: Matija Pucarevic
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Facial Recognition System Research Paper
Name: Charlie Reid
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Kent Ratings
Name: Kyle Shahenian
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Hello Worlds
Name: Jacob Vielweber
Sponsor: Dr. CJ Dulaney
Title: Mouscada Microbrew
Name: Mark Hatcher
Sponsor: Dr. Mostafa Mostafa
Name: Payton Price
Sponsor: Dr. Michele Schutzenhofer
Title: Transgender Nursing Considerations: Does A Targeted Intervention Change Self Efficacy
in Nurses?
Name: Julie Crawford
Sponsor: Dr. Helene Seibert
McKendree University promotes a vibrant community of artistic expression. These exhibits reveal their creators’ intellectual and aesthetic engagement with a
wide range of human experiences.
Title: Hidden in Art
Name: Toinette Jones
Sponsors: Kevin Kao, Amy MacLennan
An online exhibition of paintings and digital images by graduating art major, Toinette Jones. Drawing inspiration from family and community, the exhibition examines the power of hidden images through abstraction, color, and line.
Title: Life Behind the Lens
Name: Allison Woodhouse
Sponsors: Kevin Kao, Amy MacLennan
An online exhibition of digital photographs by graduating art major, Allison Woodhouse. The exhibition seeks to find beauty within the natural and man-made world through the unique perspective of the camera's lens.
