As the midterm election approaches in November, Catherine Dierker ’27 is asking a timely question: Can educators better prepare young people to participate in democracy?

An Elon history major with teacher licensure from Marietta, Georgia, Dierker’s research focuses on improving civic engagement among young voters. She will present her findings during the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April 28.

“Considering that the youth turnout rate is so low, what can we do to make students feel prepared and make them feel like when they graduate, they can make a difference?� she said.

Dierker’s interest in research grew through ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë Teaching Fellows program, where she developed an inquiry project that eventually evolved into her SURF presentation.

“I’ve always really been very curious,� she said. “It was something that I was interested in, but then given the opportunity to develop.�

Her project examines effective practices in civics education, drawing from national and international data, teacher interviews and existing scholarship. While her findings reveal no single solution, they point to three key strategies that can help foster civic engagement among students.

“The first being to embrace controversy,� Dierker explained. “People shy away from trying to tackle big subjects that are a little controversial, but it’s what makes people engaged. It fires people up, and passionate people are going to act.�

In addition, her research highlights the importance of promoting civic agency, helping students feel that their voices matter, and incorporating service learning into classrooms.

“Allowing people to get out in their local community and do a semester-long project really demonstrates to them that they have made a difference,� she said.

Dierker emphasized that her work is less about prescribing a single method and more about offering a framework for educators.

“There’s not one thing that we can say to all teachers, do this and all of your students will go out and vote,� she said. “But if we apply these strategies, we will see a lot better turnout and results from our civic education.�

Her research process combined large-scale data analysis with qualitative insights. She examined U.S. census data, compared state-level education practices and reviewed studies from both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Mentored by Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Carrie Eaves, Dierker said the experience has been both academically rigorous and personally meaningful.

“She’s fantastic,� said Dierker of Eaves. “It’s those little connections that were nice to talk about and then really dive into the details of the research.�

During SURF Day, all other campus activities are suspended so the Elon community can come together around students’ creative endeavors and research efforts. Undergraduate research is also one of the five Elon Experiences, which provides a natural extension of the work students do in the classroom and ensure that Elon graduates are prepared for both graduate school and careers. Although this will be her first time presenting at SURF, Dierker is looking forward to sharing her work.

“I’m nervous, but I’m excited. I’m really passionate about it. I love talking about things that I’m passionate about,� she said.

As she prepares for a future in the classroom, Dierker hopes her research will help shape how civics is taught and how students see their role in society.

“It’s more of a framework to guide how we go about education and how we go about interacting with our community and with our nation,� she said.

The colloquium lecture was titled “Knots and Braids with a Little Bit of Dance.” Scherich started off the lecture with an introduction to the mathematical field of knot theory, which is a subfield of topology. She showed her Math-Dance video “Algebra, Geometry, and Topology; What’s the difference?” which explains how the three fields of mathematics are different. (You can watch the video .)

Twenty minutes into the lecture, Song took over the lecture to discuss their collaborative knot theory research project that they have been working on for a three semesters. The lecture concluded with Scherich returning to the stage to discuss her research about the danceability index, which is another student project she has been working on for two years with alumni Sol Addison ’25 and Lumen Scholar Lila Snodgrass ’26.

This year’s conference centered around the theme of “Shifting Identities and Fractured Communities.� Student paper topics ranged from the theocratic turn in US anti-abortion politics to a sentiment analysis of religious texts. Their international research took them to the south of Spain; their rigorous methods included ethnographic interviews and visual analysis of the Billy Graham Library; and their conclusions contributed to important conversations about Judeo-Christian nationalism in US higher education and the ramifications of abortion abolitionist legislation.

The American Academy of Religion is the largest scholarly organization in the world dedicated to the professional study of religion. Roughly three hundred scholars working at colleges and universities in this region regularly participate in the annual meeting. The regional meeting also offers limited spots for undergraduate students to present their academic research and engage with professional scholars from across the region.

Four sessions were held to showcase undergraduate research, and ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë students garnered five of the 16 highly competitive undergraduate slots. One of the five students was also an Elon College Fellow and a member of ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë Multifaith Scholars program, led by Director Amy Allocco. Two students were presenting research for the Honors and Lumen programs, and two students took the initiative to craft their own credit-bearing undergraduate research project for ELR. All five students were closely mentored in their discipline by an Elon faculty member who helped to guide their research and prepare their presentations over the course of their junior and senior years. The papers will also be delivered before Elon audiences at the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Support for travel was provided by the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society, the Department of Religious Studies and the Office of Undergraduate Research. The funding also supported a small student group of conference observers as well as group co-organizer Amy Allocco, professor and distinguished scholar of religious studies.

Undergraduate Research Presentations

Alyssa Carney (MFS, ECF), “Echoes of Al-Andalus: Islamophobia and Migration in Spain� (Sandy Marshall, mentor)

Mallory Fahrlender, “Abortion Abolition Extremism: The Theocratic Turn in US Anti-Abortion Politics (Toddie Peters, mentor)

Kelsey Golden, “New Crusaders, Old Problems: Crusade as Cognitive Domain in the Billy Graham Library� (Lynn Huber and Evan Gatti, mentors)

Bunny Ingram, “Faith and Feeling: A Sentiment Analysis of Religious Texts� (Heather Barker, mentor)

Ben Kaplan, “Judeo-Christian Nationalism and Jewish Ethics in American Political Myth� (Andrew Monteith, mentor)

Elon Faculty Presentations

Andrew Monteith, “‘Hatred Is the Right Response to Evil’: Judeo-Christian Nationalism, The Heritage Foundation, and Donald Trump’s War Against Higher Education�

“I’m so proud of our students,â€� said Maha Lund, dean of ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë’s School of Health Sciences. “Their research topics and the depth of the work are impressive. What it shows me is that they have learned how to access original research and resources that will help them take care of their patients.â€�

Twenty 3rd year DPT students presented 12 posters on topics related to their personal and professional growth while learning and exploring culturally unique healthcare settings across the world. As part of the DPTE Global Learning Opportunities program, students took DPT courses in locations across the US and around the world, including Peru, Italy, Australia, Belize and various US locations.

“We are celebrating students’ development of intercultural skills necessary to effectively work across differences, with the ultimate goal of delivering equitable, culturally responsive, and individualized healthcare,” said Paula DiBiasio, associate professor and director of the Global Learning Opportunities Program in the Department of Physical Therapy Education.

ABSN students showcased their research via eight evidence-based poster presentations on important topics, including management of pediatric migraines, family involvement in diabetic foot care, technology innovations to improve medication safety and many others. The students completed this research work as part of their “Evidence-based Nursing Practice” course.

“As these students prepare to begin professional nursing practice, it is essential that they are able to use the current research literature to provide evidence-based support for their practice,” said Associate Professor of Nursing Elizabeth Van Horn. “The students have done an excellent job of exploring and analyzing the research literature to make sound recommendations for nursing practice to improve patient care. We are all very proud of their accomplishments.â€�

Thirty-eight 2nd year PA students each presented their research findings at the Forum. The students presented on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to research regarding drug trials, surgical options, and new treatments for emerging medical concerns.

“These students are ready to move into their professional role as PAs and will bring this knowledge of the latest research with them in order to practice evidence-based patient care,” said Antoinette Polito, associate professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

Forty-six 1st year DPT students presented their research via 17 posters from their “Research Design III” course. The research project topics ranged from pediatric-, cardiovascular-, neurologic- and sports-physical therapy.

“These presentations are a culmination of more than 6 months of quantitative, hands-on research experience,” said Srikant Vallabhajosula, professor and research coordinator for the Department of Physical Therapy, who also teaches the course. “Each group has gone through a different journey but culminated in this wonderful conference-like experience! I am proud of their hard work and thankful to the faculty members who mentored these groups in their research endeavors. I am hoping many of these will go to national conferences to give these students a richer exposure to research and evidence-informed practice.â€�

Baker presented on a documentary-dance film titled “Reclaiming Power: The Black Maternal Health Crisis.� She collaborated with Assistant Professor of Dance Keshia Gee and collected data from viewers before and after watching the documentary, which showed that the documentary promoted a hopeful view of Black birth in the United States.

“At a time when public health is being challenged in numerous ways, coming together with people in our field from around the world was exactly what I needed to affirm that the work I am doing matters and needs to continue,� Baker said.

Two public health majors, Emily Ecker ‘26 and Niagara Legette ‘26, also presented their work at the conference. Ecker received the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Student Award for her poster presentation.

“It meant a lot to be the only undergraduate recognized among master’s and doctoral students,� Ecker said. “For me, the award highlights how important community-engaged research is and the impact it can have when local voices are centered in public health work.�

This year, the department supported four additional public health majors in attending the conference, increasing their exposure to the significant research and practices shared. This was made possible through the generous contributions of alumni and parent donors to the department’s gift fund and Fair’s coordination. Jamari Heredia ‘27, Jenna Toms ‘26, Madalein Amoaka ‘26, and Tajallah Amirkhil ‘28 were selected through a competitive application process and received funding for travel, lodging and conference registration.

ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë participation in the APHA Conference demonstrates the Department of Public Health’s commitment to experiential learning opportunities for students, enabling them to engage in high-quality public health experiences in communities and settings beyond the college campus.

By continuing to participate in the APHA Conference, Elon underscores the department’s commitment to developing future leaders who address critical health challenges through research, collaboration, and community engagement. This also provides a crucial opportunity for growth and learning for the public health students who were able to attend the conference.

“I think attending the APHA conference gave students the opportunity to experience the numerous public health research that is being done in the USA and around the world,� Darfour-Oduro said. “It also gave students the opportunity to listen and engage with leading experts in Public Health.�

By using real-world ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë systems for projects, students can learn about sustainability innovation on campus and help improve systems in real time. Students, faculty and staff are also able to and browse potential project ideas. 

Sophie Remisio ’27 is a Lumen Scholar at Elon, majoring in environmental engineering and applied math. She first became interested in conducting sustainability research while taking an engineering class and learning about the impacts of fertilizer and eutrophication on water bodies.

Her current research explores the use of sorbents to remove PFAS from drinking water. Through this experience, however, she became aware of the large amount of plastic waste generated in the lab setting. She is currently working on developing a regenerative water filter to remove contaminants while addressing waste accumulation, combining her passions for engineering and sustainability.

For students interested in sustainability research but who are unsure of where to start, Remisio mentioned the importance of connecting with professors and peers.

“Use your resources,� she encouraged. “If you’re interested in sustainability but don’t know where to begin, reflect on what piques your interest the most in a field.�

Students are eligible to apply for research funding through the Sustainability Research Grant program each spring semester. One student is awarded $1000 each academic year for research related to sustainability.

For more information on Campus as a Living Lab, please visit the Office of Sustainability’s website.

Anna Rakes’ presentation titled “Replication Study of Magnet School Desegregation in Contemporary U.S. School Districts” shared the results of her replication of three large studies investigating the effectiveness of magnet schools on desegregation rates using several metrics. She found current data on three large school districts to replicate the studies and then shared how the metrics compared to the time periods of the studies then and now. This is part of a larger study for her honors thesis.

Bunny Ingram’s presentation titled “Sentiment Analysis of Religious Texts” shares how they used a text mining tool to analyze large religious texts. Sentiment analysis is a text mining tool often used in analyzing social media, online discussion forums, and business. Using sentiment analysis to analyze religious texts has not been done often. This project sought to see what patterns arose in analyzing texts of this sort. This is part of their honors research project.

Bunny was also awarded one of two Best Poster Awards for 2025 eUSR! Anna and Bunny’s presentation can be , along with the other presentations at the conference.

Rafting through the Grand Canyon two years ago, Braetan Peters ’26 was taken by the beauty of the cliffs and valleys, but something else was also on her mind: her cell phone.

“The trip lasted eight days, and five days were actually water rafting throughout the canyon. So, we covered over 130 miles, and it was intense camping. And during that time, I did not have access to my cell phone, so I constantly felt the need to reach down and go ‘Oh, where’s my cell phone?’”

So, when it came time to find a topic for her Elon College Fellows research, Peters decided to explore the addictive factor of cell phones and how peoples’ behavior changes after not having access to the devices for extended periods.

“That experience in the Canyon really propelled this research forward,� said Peters, who is from Annville, Pennsylvania.

Elon College Fellows is a four-year academic and professional program in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, for students who are passionately committed to exploring the breadth, depth and connections within the arts and sciences.

Right now, Peters is in the process of gathering survey data. Over the summer, she partnered with Hatch River Expeditions, a family-owned rafting company in Northern Arizona. The company sent out Peters’ information to its clients, asking if they’d like to participate. Once confirmed, Peters surveyed people before their rafting trip and then followed up after.

“Grand Canyon is probably one of the last places left where your phone can’t constantly get internet. We hope we can help her get what she needs,� said Steve Hatch, owner of Hatch River Expeditions. “Not very many people in the world get access to the Grand Canyon the way we do. Whenever we can, we like to use that access to help people.�

In addition to survey results from Grand Canyon rafters, Peters will also survey students on Winter Term study abroad trips to Tanzania and New Zealand, where their cell phone use will be minimal.

A biology major with a neuroscience minor, Peters is currently on a pre-med track, so she says, getting experience with this kind of research will be helpful for her future. Undergraduate research is one of the five Elon Experiences, along with study abroad, service, leadership, internships and research. Students are required to complete at least two of the experiences before they graduate. With undergraduate research, students pair up with a faculty member as their mentor. Mat Gendle, professor of psychology, is serving as Peters’ mentor.

“It’s been super helpful to have someone to guide me through this process since it’s my first time,â€� said Peters, who has also been an Elon Women’s cross country and track and field student athlete for the past three years.  “I chose Mat Gendle because of his enthusiasm to work with me on this. This isn’t something that he has done previously, but he has knowledge in the neuroscience area.â€�

Peters is working on a manuscript for the project and hopes to submit it for publication after graduating.

Growing up in a sports-oriented family, Cook’s world in early high school revolved around dancing and basketball. However, for health-related reasons, she was forced to stop participating in both activities. Her interest in sports and determination to stay involved in her high school teams led her to discover sports in other ways besides playing on the court.

“I wanted to be involved in the sports world even though I couldn’t play, so I was the team manager for my school’s women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. I’d still be present at every game, just doing stats instead. That’s when it really clicked for me that this is something I want to do professionally,” she said.

When looking for colleges, Cook was first interested in big schools with a large number of students. Coming from Portland, Maine, she first visited ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë campus on Communications Fellows weekend.

While here, she explored the program and had the opportunity to meet with communications and sport management professors who would later become her mentors and strongest allies.

Once on campus, she fell in love with the environment and community of Elon.

“I absolutely loved it. All the professors I met were amazing, and I remember connecting the most with Dr. Shaina Dabbs in the sport management department,� she explained.

For Cook, this visit and her application for the Communications Fellows acted as a turning point in her college search. She committed to Elon because of the community connections she made on her visit and her acceptance into the Communications Fellows Program, but this was just the beginning of her academic success.

Cook was first introduced to the idea of studying and working on ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë Charlotte campus by Dabbs, who is also the Women Influencers in Sport (WINS) club advisor. WINS is a student-led on-campus organization that focuses on developing women’s careers in sports and providing them with opportunities to be involved in the sports industry. Her interest was further piqued by the WINS student representatives, who presented professional development opportunities in one of her communications classes.

After the presentation, she kept the opportunity at the forefront of her mind, knowing this was an opportunity she wanted to pursue. She later applied to study with Elon Charlotte’s “The Sport Experience,” where she would earn an internship with the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the “Power 4” conferences in the nation.

“The sport management department really pushes the Elon Charlotte Sport Internship Program for a good reason. I was excited for it, and I knew I had to do it,� she said.

After receiving an email from Dabbs at the beginning of the academic year, Cook was invited to conduct research with the Sports Business Journal, involving WINS.

“It was really cool because they came to us, and this wasn’t something we initiated,� she explained.

The research with the Sports Business Journal involves the WINS, focused on data collection for emerging women’s sports leagues and their use of social media. Her team is working alongside Jenn Azara, the director of women’s sports content for Sports Business Journal, to conduct research that will be presented at the WINS annual forum in November.

Including her work with WINS and the Sports Business Journal, Cook is now involved in three undergraduate research projects. She is especially excited about her newest research involving the Women’s National Basketball Association and its viewer markets and attendance factors with Alex Traugutt, assistant professor of sports management.

Her responsibilities for this project include collecting data on the factors that affect fan attendance, like how many star players are playing and how many rookies are in attendance.

“I’m obsessed with the WNBA,” she said. “And that’s the goal, that’s where I want to work one day.â€�

Her work in ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë Charlotte program has strengthened her professional development and prepared her to further her career in ways she never imagined. She mentions the program has catapulted her forward, opening many opportunities for success in her field: “I feel ahead in ways that I didn’t before.â€�

“The opportunities are endless, and ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë supports you through it. I never felt like they’ve thrown me into the deep end and said, ‘go for it’, but I feel like they have the perfect balance of supporting us, but not holding our hands through it,” said Cook.

Continuing to push for greatness within the sports communications world, Cook expresses her disbelief for the “life-changing� opportunity she’s earned at Elon and in Charlotte.

“I’m 19 and in Charlotte, working for a Power 4 college conference, and it’s all because I came to Elon for my Communications Fellows Scholarship,” she said. “It felt like someone was believing in me. It’s so meaningful because it feels like someone’s acknowledging that I can go far. They recognize my potential.â€�

“Growing up, I was always making things for people, whether it was for profit or just out of love,� Lee said.

With her passion for creating art and her business-minded approach to expressing intellectual creativity, ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë entrepreneurship program encourages Lee to pursue both passions while supporting her to make her dreams a reality.

Lee is originally from Waldorf, Maryland, where a friend of her mother’s recommended she consider ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë for soccer. From there, she booked a campus tour, where she immediately fell in love with the campus, the town and the people who lived there. On her campus tour, Lee was introduced to the scholars in the Odyssey Program as well as Honors Fellows. She would later apply to and earn a place in both programs.

“Once I heard everything the Odyssey Program had to offer, it made me want to be a part of Elon even more.� She notes the strong connection with her future Odyssey mentor, “sealed the deal� on her desire to come to Elon.

At Elon, Lee is now pouring her artistic and driven energy into the campus she loves so much. On top of being an Honors Fellow and a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Leo M. Lambert Odyssey Program Scholarship, she is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honors Society and a member of the President’s Student Leaders Advisory Council. She is the president of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and a member of ÁñÁ«app¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾Èë Track and Field team. In her free time, she enjoys expressing her artistry, turning to drawing and painting as well as listening to music and journaling.

“Both scholarship programs have awarded me with experiences that helped cultivate me in ways that the classroom can’t,” she said.

Through her hard work and numerous opportunities for involvement, Lee was able to continue her studies while still expressing her passion for creativity she’s had since she was a child. Being a scholar in the Odyssey Program allowed her to make the most of the opportunity to study in Florence, Italy, where she has been able to express herself through painting, a dream since she was little.

“I couldn’t believe I was there without having the financial burden,” she said. “It was an amazing opportunity for me to continue my passion for art. I made it a mission to tap into that side of myself while I was abroad.â€�

As a result of her experiences abroad, she now works as a part of the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center as a student coordinator and ambassador.

This extracurricular growth continues with her recent research on the enhancement of black Entrepreneurs within Alamance County, and making sure they’re receiving the proper recognition and support they deserve.

“My research has definitely helped me prepare myself for what I see in the future with my career, as I love helping people,” Lee said.

These extracurricular experiences have led Lee to be a well-rounded student and future employee. As a result of her hard work in optimizing her opportunities at Elon, she was able to develop and maintain a promising relationship with Ernst & Young, one of the four largest and most influential professional services networks globally. She earned two summer internships with Ernst & Young and eventually secured a full-time offer as a Technology Risk Consultant under the Assurance Practice.

During her time with Ernst & Young, Elon alumni Lisa Kelly and Regan Glembocki became her unofficial mentors. This overwhelming amount of success and prosperity Lee worked for at Elon makes her feel unstoppable.

“I feel like I can literally do anything,” said Lee. “I stepped onto this campus, accomplishing my dreams that I genuinely didn’t think would happen until years and years later. It makes me emotional.â€�

Lee has been able to see the Odyssey scholarship affect her family in a full-circle way. As she is preparing to graduate at the end of this year, she is hopeful to leave a legacy with her younger brother, who is now enrolled as a freshman.

“As the years have gone on, I’ve grown in more appreciation of the scholarship and especially seeing the benefits it has on my little brother, even though he just got here, it’s been amazing to see.�

Her little brother, Carlos Lee Jr., is now enrolled at Elon with the same Odyssey scholarship she is so grateful for.

“When I experienced it, I couldn’t help but think, I want this for him when he gets to college, and the fact that he has it is more than what I could ever ask for,” Lee said.

Due to this full circle of opportunity for her family, Lee has made it a goal to one day donate in the same way to help another underfunded student achieve their academic and personal goals.

“I’ve been set up for so much success that it pours into generational success within my family,” said Lee. “I can’t wait to give somebody else an Odyssey Scholarship in the future. That’s how much this program has impacted me.â€�