WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 20, 2019 — Students at West Liberty University participate in a chance for real world experience as they compete and present in the annual RECAP symposium.

The competition was open to all students and rewards outstanding achievement in scholarly Research, Creative Activity, and Performance (RECAP). It also offers a chance to win cash prizes totaling $3,000.

Awards were presented at the close of the daylong event held on March 20  in College Hall.

RECAP included four different styles of academic scholarship consisting of posters on display in the ASRC lobby, formal presentations with PowerPoint in the Boyle Conference Center, and creative presentations or performances in College Hall.

First place winners, categories and titles of research include:

• Poster category, Elliot Collins, Crooksville, Ohio, “Immunostimulatory Activity of Dillapiole Isolated from Fennel Root.”
• Formal presentation category, Nicole Sadecky, Ravenswood, W.Va., “Identifying Habitat Utilization and Movement of a Federally Endangered Crawfish Species, Cambarus veteranus (Guyandotte River crayfish) via Radio Telemetry.”
• Performance category, Emily McLean, Glen Easton, W.Va., animation video of the Nintendo Switch
• Paper category, Dylan Parsons, New Martinsville, W.Va., “Practice and Religious Tolerance of Homosexuality in Medieval Europe.”

“Our RECAP drew 65 participants this spring and is continuing to grow. We are pleased to have the support of all the colleges and programs,” said Dr. Robert Kreisberg, professor of biology. Each first place winner receives a check for $400 and all runners-up receive $100 each.

Runners-up include: Patrick Allison Jr., biology, Carly Cunningham, microbiology, Tanya Kahn, biology, Pat King, documentary, Emma McClelland, ecology, and Michelle Russell, anatomy and Eric Tidmore, biology.

Also assisting in the organization of the symposium were Dr. Linda Cowan (Music and Theatre), Professor Scott Hanna (English), Dr. Gayle Jesse (Computer Information Systems), Dr. Melinda Kreisberg (Biology), Dr. Corey Reigel (History), Professor Ryan McCullough (Forensics), Professor Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell (Communication), Dr. Zachary Loughman (Biology), Dr. Angela Rehbein, (English) and Sara Sweeney, (Graduate Studies), Dr. Amanda Tennant (English), Professor Hannah Walters (Criminal Justice) and Professor Richard West (Exercise Physiology).

“On behalf of the committee, I am very pleased to report that the second year of our new RECAP is a success. Every student is a winner who participated in this academic showcase of achievement,” Kreisberg added.

A 20-member panel of judges, consisting of faculty, graded the students on their research and performances using a formal system of scoring.

West Liberty University offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, plus a growing number of graduate programs including master degrees in clinical psychology, education, physician assistant studies, biology, professional studies and online master degrees in criminology, dental hygiene and the MBA.

For more information, please call 1.866.937.8542 (WESTLIB) or follow WLU on social media. To view more about WLU, please visit westliberty.edu/youtube.