WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 20, 2016 — West Liberty University began its Honors College four years ago and this May will mark its first commencement. Fourteen students comprise the class of high achievers and will present their work in a symposium from 3:30 – 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 20 in the R. Emmett Boyle Conference Center.

“To graduate through the Honors College, seniors are required to complete a thesis or research project. These 14 students who will be presenting their work, represent different disciplines across the university. We are proud of our students and invite the public to join us for all or part of the program,” said Dr. Shannon Halicki, dean of the Honors College and associate professor of foreign languages.

“In this Symposium, we recognize the dedication and creativity of our graduating Honors College seniors. These outstanding students have prepared presentations, artwork, and posters that showcase exceptional scholarly production. They have devoted themselves to the Honors Senior Theses in addition to the regular demands of the college senior year, for which they and their faculty mentors deserve high praise,” she said.

Students taking part in the symposium are: Allyson Ashworth, Megan Bobes, Alexis Brum, Leah Cyrus, Maggie DeHart, Zachary Dillard, Amanda Howard, Nichole Jackson, Mark Kinker, Jillian Laslo, McKensie Mason, Hannah Mason, Gabby Pozell and Rachel Wurster. Majors, hometowns and titles of research are:

• Ashworth, an English major, is from Hamlin, W.Va. Her project is “Mixing the Americans and the Foreigners: The Importance of Guided Social Programming for Mobile International Students on American Campuses.”
• Bobes, a management major, is from Elkins, W.Va. Her project is “Management By Example: A Management Philosophy on Motivating Employees.”
• Brum, a mathematics major, is from Parkersburg, W.Va. Her project is “Combinatorial Motion Planning.”
• Cyrus, a biology major, is from Columbiana, Ohio. Her project is “Blue Light: The Next UV.”
• DeHart, a graphic design major, is from Ripley, W.Va. Her project is “Grandma’s Book.”
• Dillard, a biology major, is from Craigsville, W.Va. His project is “Macrohabitat Preference and Behavioral Shifts of a Primary Burrowing Crayfish, Cambarus monongalensis, Across a Habitat Gradient.”
• Howard, a nursing major, is from Valley Grove, W.Va. Her project is “A Study in Ageism.”
• Jackson, a biology major, is from Moundsville, W.Va. Her project is “An Increased Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Development in Adolescent Diabetic Population.”
• Kinker, a biology major, is from Vincent, Ohio. His project is “An Exploration into Ancient Pottery Techniques.”
• Laslo, a biology major, is from Shadyside, Ohio. Her project is “Role Models in Letters: A Greek Approach to Child Mentoring.”
• Hannah Mason, an English literature, rhetoric and writing major is from Pickerington, Ohio. Her project is “Savannah’s Story.”
• McKensie Mason, a chemistry major is from Pickerington, Ohio. Her project is “Quantum Mechanical Structure Elucidation of the Aldol Transition State.”
• Pozell, an English rhetoric and writing, interdisciplinary studies major is from Glen Dale, W.Va. Her project is “‘The Conversationalist’: Creating and Evaluating a Task-Based ESL Textbook.”
• Wurster, an English education major is from Berkeley Springs, W.Va. Her project is “Her World Her Way?: An Exploration of Racial Depictions and Stereotypes in Seventeen Magazine.”

The Honors College is offered to qualifying undergraduates as a program of distinction for high-achieving students. Through a combination of academic and experiential opportunities, it promotes creativity, academic rigor and intellectual exchange. The Honors College offers an enriched college experience in terms of both academic pursuits and social experiences.

These students participate in study abroad, internships and research, with opportunities for leadership roles and service.

Students achieve Honors College distinction at the end of their undergraduate career if they have completed the requisite number of Honors credit hours, through courses and seminars, and if they have completed a senior research project.

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