AEC Presentations

Below is a list of live presentations.

Racial Disparities in the Utilization of Mental Health Treatment

McKendree Honors Program

This presenter will explore racial disparities in mental health treatment utilization among adults in the United States. The presentation will highlight differences in the prevalence of serious psychological distress and the likelihood of receiving mental health treatment across racial groups ultimately revealing any gaps between mental health needs and access to care based on race.

Presenters: Divine Favour Ozomma

Sponsor: Dr. Guy Boysen

Location: PAC 222

Southeastern Confederacy: The Commodification of Black Bodies in College Football

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will discuss the modern-day exploitation of Black college football athletes through a historical lens. Using timelines, testimonies, and analysis, the presenter will discuss sensitive topics involving the American Black athlete experience.

Presenters: Landree Erwin

Sponsor: Dr. Lauren Thompson

Location: PAC 220

Public Awareness of Occupational Therapy in Rural and Urban Communities

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will explore existing knowledge gaps surrounding Occupational Therapy (OT). Specifically, the presentation will examine differences in awareness and understanding of OT between rural and urban communities, with the goal of identifying more effective strategies for educating the public about the field.

Presenters: Mabry Ellis

Sponsor: Dr. Michael Hahn

Location: PAC 218

Orthopedic Injury Rates on Artificial Turf Fields Compared to Natural Grass Fields

The presenter will discuss and compare orthopedic injury rates on natural grass fields and artificial turf fields. The history, the cost of installation, and the cost of maintenance for both types of surfaces will also be discussed. The presenter will only compare injury rates of high school, collegiate, and professional athletes excluding youth sports.

Presenters:Aaron Rodriguez Zamora

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 217

Simulated Crisis Part 1 – Emotional Support or Emotional Damage

Crisis Communication scholars will participate in a press conference addressing a simulated crisis on campus. The scholars are presented with the crisis simulation one week prior to the Academic Excellence Celebration and are tasked with developing a crisis plan and delivering a press conference at the conference. This year’s simulated crisis: During a busy afternoon on campus, an emotional support German Shepherd belonging to a student attacked another student near the Quad, resulting in severe injuries and hospitalization in critical condition. The incident has sparked immediate concern among students, faculty, and parents regarding campus safety, university policies on emotional support animals, and accountability. Conflicting eyewitness accounts and social media posts have intensified the situation, with some students calling for stricter regulations or a complete ban on animals in campus buildings, while others defend the rights of students who rely on emotional support animals. The university must respond quickly to address safety concerns, provide accurate information, and demonstrate care for those affected while navigating legal and ethical considerations.

Presenters: Joylene N. Bills, Jaylen L. Ford, Robert A. Frank, Javier I. Garcia, Kadie L. Griffiths, Evan T. Meurer, Carolynn J. Parsons, Baylie Roberts, Greyson A. Skirpan, Dow W. White

Sponsor: Dr. Rich Murphy

Location: PAC 216

Stepping Toward Relief: How Orthotic Insoles Help Plantar Fasciitis

The presenter will discuss the common issue of plantar fasciitis amongst collegiate athletes and how the wear below the feet creates a big impact on how the individual pursues physical or daily life activities.

Presenters: Nicholas Khatkovyy

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 215

Coercion and Feral Cats

JThe presenters will discuss how common food additives may influence the gut microbiome and overall human health through their research. Background on the gut–brain connection and the role of beneficial gut bacteria will be provided.

Presenters: Giada Macchiaverna, MaryAnn Romagna

Sponsor: Dr. Robb VanPutte

Location: PAC 214

Adolescent Bullying and First Kisses

Join McKendree University Speech and Debate for two award-winning performances. Nevaeh Papp will perform her prose, exploring the challenges of adolescent bullying. Then, Zach Roeck will perform his drama, which highlights the importance of memories (including first kisses).

Presenters:Nevaeh Papp,Zach Roeck

Sponsor: Joe Blasdel

Location: PAC 116

Below is a list of live presentations.

Social Media and Personality

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will discuss the relationship between the big five personality traits and how they use social media to cope with stress. The background, methods, analysis, and the impact of this study will be provided.

Presenters: Molly Bartz

Sponsor: Dr. Guy A. Boysen

Location: PAC 222

Symmetric Degree Sequences and Self-Complementary Graphs

McKendree Honors Program

Graphs are visual representations of the connections between objects. Graph theory is the abstract study of those connections. Degree sequences and self-complementary graphs are well-known concepts in the literature, but the relationship between them is novel. The presenter will provide a necessary condition for a given graph to be self-complementary.

Presenters: Roxanne McWhorter

Sponsor: Dr. Alan Alewine

Location: PAC 220

Guns, Grief, and Government: A Cross Cultural Comparison of Policy and Public Responses to Gun Violence

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will offer a comparative examination of how nations across the globe respond to gun violence, highlighting both the policy measures implemented and the public’s reactions to these events

Presenters: Elizabeth Collins

Sponsor: Dr. Robyn Swink

Location: PAC 218

Heat Safety Starts Here: Comparing Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Monitoring Methods

The presenter will discuss the types of heat exertional illnesses and best ways athletic trainers can prevent these illnesses. This will be covered through the explanation and comparison of wet bulb globe temperature devices. Background, methods, analysis, and impact will be provided.

Presenters: Kaylee Seelbach

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 217

CSimulated Crisis Part 2 – You Earned a Scholarship… Or did you?

Crisis Communication scholars will participate in a press conference addressing a simulated crisis on campus. The scholars are presented with the crisis simulation one week prior to the Academic Excellence Celebration and are tasked with developing a crisis plan and delivering a press conference at the conference. This year’s simulated crisis: A newly hired admissions representative at McKendree University accidentally sent an email offering a full-ride scholarship to every incoming first-year applicant. Within hours, hundreds of students and families began celebrating and sharing the news on social media, while others contacted the university seeking confirmation and next steps. As the mistake became apparent, confusion and frustration spread quickly, with prospective students questioning the credibility of the admissions office and current students raising concerns about fairness and institutional transparency. The university now faces significant reputational damage and must determine how to respond to affected students, manage expectations, and restore trust while addressing the internal error that led to the mass communication failure.

Presenters: Madison M. Bonner, Jahmari L. Christian, Austin T. Crouse, Victoria L. Porta, Carly A. Reese, Yu SakamotoEllie K. Vetter, Kirsten N. Warner, Natalie C. Witt

Sponsor: Dr. Richard Murphy

Location: PAC 216

When Passion Becomes Pain: The Cost of Club Sports Overuse

The presenter will investigate the relationship between overuse injury occurrence and club sports participation and discuss implications for injury prevention, athlete wellness, and sustainable sport participation.

Presenters: Reagan Lucas

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 215

Exploring Social and Gender Identities Through Media and Academia

The presenters will each share their unique perspective on the question, "Is the evolving machine of social media a positive or negative influence on consumer behavior?" Their compelling presentations will encourage viewers to reflect on their own views and consider the broader impact of social media on our society today. What side will you choose?

Presenters: Mathijs Aalpol, Jayla Carter, Mariana Cardenas, Bendix Feen Heinrich Schroeder

Sponsor: Dr. Allie Helfrich

Location: PAC 214

HPV Vaccination and You Call It

JJoin McKendree University Speech and Debate for two award-winning performances. Ava Schmollinger will perform her after dinner speech, which humorously argues for getting vaccinated for the human papillomavirus (HPV). Anna Rose Sheehan will then perform an impromptu speech based on a topic of YOUR choosing.

Presenters: Ava Schmollinger, Anna Rose Sheehan

Sponsor: Joe Blasdel

Location: PAC 116

Below is a list of live presentations.

Comparing Perceived Accuracy and Trust in AI-Generated General and Diagnostic Mental Health Advice

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will discuss how individuals perceive the accuracy and trustworthiness of AI-generated mental health advice, comparing general advice to diagnostic suggestions. Background, research methods, findings, and implications of AI in mental health settings will be discussed.

Presenters: Kelsey Lyles

Sponsor: Dr. Guy A. Boysen

Location: PAC 222

How Schools Are Supporting Students With Dyslexia

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will discuss how schools are supporting students with dyslexia and what research says we ought to do to support these students in the classroom.

Presenters: Emmalie Leitner

Sponsor: Dr. Katie Alford

Location: PAC 220

AI in the Shadows 2.0: Same Prompt, New Data

In this presentation, students revisit last year’s AI in the Shadows findings to explore how the role of artificial intelligence has evolved over the past year. By comparing current data, tools, and real-world applications to last year’s insights, students will analyze what has changed, what trends have accelerated, and what new ethical, strategic, and professional implications have emerged. This year-over-year comparison highlights how rapidly AI is reshaping everyday workflows on McKendree's campus—often in ways that remain unseen or “in the shadows.” Through this analysis, students will uncover key shifts in AI capabilities, usage patterns, and perceptions, offering a clearer picture of how students on our campus are using AI.

Presenters: Mathijs Aalpol, Jayla Carter, Tessa Crawford, Thanh Do, Bianca Galaviz, William Klimek, Daniela Lozano Cardenas, Mariana Lozano Cardenas, Brett Maciejewski, Chloe McTeer, Gavin Reidel, Bendix Feen Heinrich Schroeder, Claire Thole

Sponsor: Dr. Allie Helfrich

Location: PAC 218

Skating on Thin Ice: Exploring Gender Differences in Collegiate Ice Hockey Injuries

The presenter will discuss various factors that differentiate male and female collegiate ice hockey players which may contribute to differing injury rates between the genders. The identification of risk factors aims to allow athletic trainers to take proactive measures to mitigate injury risk for their athletes.

Presenters: Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 217

Does Foreign Aid Work? How Corruption Influences the Effectiveness of Foreign Aid

The presenter will discuss her senior thesis using World Bank data to analyze whether corruption in recipient states significantly weakens the effectiveness of foreign aid programs.

Presenters: Marin Paulenko

Sponsor: Dr. Brian Frederking

Location: PAC 216

Cutting the Flow to Grow: Muscle Circumference Responses to Blood Flow Restriction

The presenter will discuss the effects of blood flow restriction training on muscle circumference in collegiate athletes.

Presenters: Lexandra Cobin

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 215

Researching to Debate: Sea Change: Debating the Arctic in 2026

Join McKendree University Speech and Debate for a demonstration of National Parliamentary Debate Association style debate on the topic: The United States federal government should significantly increase its domestic environmental protections in the Arctic. The team of Houck and Mohammad will affirm, and the team of Bradley and Carney will negate.

Presenters: Aidan Bradley, Ari Carney, Cathrine Houck, and Meera Mohammad

Sponsor: Brent Nicholson

Location: PAC 214

Below is a list of live presentations.

Case Study: Outcomes of Sports Specialization in Youth Athletes

McKendree Honors Program

The presenter will discuss the outcomes of sports specialization at a young age on athlete physical, metal and social/emotional health. The qualitative study is a retrospective provided by current and retiring college athletes.

Presenters: Lauren Harris

Sponsor: Dr. Katy Gayford

Location: PAC 222

Academic RAG System

McKendree Honors Program

TThe presenter will discuss how Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems can be used in academic settings, explain the foundational theory behind RAG, and describe how each layer of the system works together in the overall process.

Presenters: Tatiyana Fridge

Sponsor: Dr. Kian Pokorny

Location: PAC 220

Cases of Financial Statement Fraud and the Related Audit Implications

Students in ACC 431, Research in Accounting Theory, and ACC 421, Auditing, will present recent cases of financial statement fraud. Students in the two courses will join to explain both the fraudulent financial reporting and the auditing/internal control issues that failed to prevent it.

Presenters: Josh Belzer, Isabella Brand, Azia Douglas, Jordynn Duensing, Louise Johnston, Janaya Laqua, Elijah Matthews, Tobi McCraw, Imani McNamee, Megan Melone, Luke Merod, Tiffany Patton, Wesley Redelberger, George Safo, Ra'niyah Salmond-Chance, Adonya Taylor

Sponsor: Terese Kasson and Donna Matanane

Location: PAC 218

Beyond the Pool: Advocating for Swimmers' Respiratory Health

The presenter will discuss the chemical composition of air within indoor swimming pools. Potential impacts on swimmers' health and performance will also be addressed. Data collected from the McKendree Swimming and Diving team will be utilized to advocate for increased indoor pool air quality regulations.

Presenters: Logan Wilson

Sponsor: Dr. Robb VanPutte

Location: PAC 217

Lessons Learned Running a 5K Charity Race

There is no better way to learn how to do something than to go and do it. As such, in SPM 376 students get on-the-job training in planning, executing, and evaluating a fundraising sports event. Under the guidance of Dr. Itri, students lead the way from start to finish in bringing a 5K race event to fruition. As they work together, they learn some of the most important aspects necessary to run a successful sports event. Come learn about their successes, failures, and things they'd do differently next time.

Presenters: Arhaan Pahwa, Ethan Edwards, Sawyer Lownsdale, Hannah Sparks, Jay Miller, Tyler Butash, and Robert Frank

Sponsor: Dr. Rob Itri

Location: PAC 216

ACL, Period.

The presenter will discuss existing research on female collegiate athletes to examine whether specific menstrual cycle phases are associated with higher rates of ACL injuries. Along with the correlation, the presenter will also discuss ways to help reduce the risk of ACL injury.

Presenters: Avery Seidel

Sponsor: Dr. Dawn Hankins

Location: PAC 215

Researching to Debate: Sea Change: Debating the Arctic in 2026

The thrilling conclusion of part 1. Members of the McKendree University Speech and Debate team will give concluding speeches from their debate on American environmental policy in the Arctic and briefly answer questions from the audience.

Presenters: Aidan Bradley, Ari Carney, Cathrine Houck, Meera Mohammad

Sponsor: Brent Nicholson

Location: PAC 214

Below is a list of pre-recorded presentations.

Raku Ceramics

Stay Tuned!

Presenters:

Sponsor: Jeffrey Nihiser

Location: Back of Benson Wood

Below is a list of pre-recorded presentations.

Using Metacognition and Cognitive Stacking to Reduce Cognitive Load in Nurse Residents Through Team-Based Simultaneous Multiple-Patient Simulations

The presenter will discuss how the use of two cognitive techniques may help reduce the overall amount of cognitive load experienced by new nurse residents. This presentation will discuss the rationales behind this project and review of literature, planning and implementation of the project, and cognitive load evaluation and analysis. The presenter will also discuss project limitations, opportunities for growth, and project sustainability.

Presenters:Sumar McDonald

Sponsor: Dr. Angela Gilbreth, DNP, RN, CLS, EBP-C

LINK TO VIDEO AVAILABLE APRIL 17TH

Community-Driven School Health and Safety Fair

The presenter will discuss the impact of offering a community health and safety fair in the familiar environment of school.

Presenters:Carrie Jenkins, MSN, RN, PEL-CSN

Sponsor: Dr. Angela Gilbreth, DNP, RN, CLS, EBP-C

LINK TO VIDEO AVAILABLE APRIL 17TH