Humanities Division Student Projects Day

Join the scholars of the Humanities Division for a day of exciting and enriching presentations.

Schedule of Presentations

9-9:55 Humanities – University Center, Room C

Honduras Study Trip 2023: Participating in University Social Responsibility (RSU) at Zamorano

Students from Humanities 288 (Honduras: Languages and Cultures) will describe their research project, collecting proverbs from Latin America in English classes at Zamorano University in Tegucigalpa; volunteer work at Allison Bixby Stone Elementary School on the Zamorano campus; Service Learning project at REMAR Orphanage and Pedregal Public Elementary School; and opportunities to learn about healthcare at Jicarito community clinic and the clinic at Zamorano.

Presentation Co-Chairs: Alexis Gentile (Nursing) and Katherine Tammaro (Nursing)

Honduras Group: Tia Furbush (Biology), Alexis Gentile (Nursing), Claudia Rehnert (Nursing), Hannah Specht (Nursing), Katherine Tammaro (Nursing), Jordan Wathstein (Nursing)

Faculty: Dr. Patricia Dyer (English), Dr. Karen May (Nursing)

Alumnae: Monica Lesinski ’18, Jamie Schmerechenski ’19 (Nursing)

10-10:55 Humanities – University Center, Room C

Groups of students in HIST 354: Revolutionary America will pitch their ideas for public programming that could be developed as part of Delaware County’s celebration of the semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The Widener community will be joined by members of America250PADelco as we listen to the proposals.

Student presenters: Jordan Baxter (Psychology), Mitchell Burkholder (Psychology), Ryan Carroll (Sociology), Sean Curran (History), Nick Dicostanza (Biology), Brian Gehman (History), Michael Gemma (Communications), Liam Kelly (Computer Science), Patrick Kirk (History), Daniel Kmet (Computer Science), Rachel Lapp (Criminal Justice), Patrick McMullen (History), Luke Pollick (Communications), and Amaya Reed-Clark (International Relations) (Professor Jordan Smith)

11-11:55 Humanities – University Center, Room C

Students from ASC 230 and SPAN 388 will describe their research projects on coffee, culture, and biodiversity in Costa Rica. They will also describe their learning about these topics during the 2023 Spring Break trip to Monteverde, where they visited a variety of coffee farms, a cloud

forest reserve, and several ecotourism sites in order to learn about the interconnectedness of these themes in Costa Rican culture.

Student presenters: Sherissa Barbour (Social Work), Kathrine Cowart (Engineering), Fiona Fischer (Biology, minor in Spanish), Madeline Hoffman (Psychology), Bella Krohmer (Nursing, minor in Spanish), Madeline Lolli (Biology, minor in Spanish), Evelyn Peyton (Biology, minor in Spanish), Dion Potkamp (Computer Science), Breah Sandre (Environmental Science, minor in Spanish) (Professor Beatriz Urraca and Professor Stephen Madigosky)

12-12:55 Humanities – Kapelski Learning Center, Room 1 - Dance

Choreographic process lecture demonstration. Presented by DAN 101/122 students Amanda Rappa (Communications), Drewliana Vann (Independent Study), Emma Eckenroth (Social Work), Ivana Brock (Criminal Justice), and Lauren Rappa (English, Psychology) (Professor Katherine Kiefer Stark)

We will break down the making of Free to Be Me, a dance piece created collaboratively this semester. Join us to learn about our collaborative choreographic process and see the dance performed.

1-1:55 Humanities – University Center, Room C

Students who were enrolled in the Fall 2022 sections of ENGL 103, the Honors first-year writing course, will talk about their group projects. These creative projects explored the question, "How can we tell a story about community?," through a variety of genres, including annotated music playlists, graphic narratives, and podcasts.

Student presenters: Christie Bernier (Nursing), Caleigh Moore (Chemical Engineering), Corinne Nichols (Nursing), Lauren Petsch (Biology), and Breah Sandre (Environmental Science, minor in Spanish) (Professors Annalisa Castaldo, Angela Corbo, Mark Graybill, Jessica Guzman, and Jayne Thompson)

2-2:55 Humanities – University Center, Room C

Students completing the Textual Scholarship Certificate will present findings from their capstone projects.

Presenters:

Ciana Bowers (Creative Writing & Communications), “No Drama, No Trauma: A new

movement for Black Literature”

Seth Glickman (English), “A Battlefield of Textual Elements: Bookishness in Magic: The

Gathering”

Sarah Hurley (English & Secondary Education), “Between War and Romance: Exploring Gender

in Girls Fiction during the Interwar Period”

Natalie Pititto (English & History), “The Evolution of Lesbian Literature in the Stonewall Era”

Faculty Mentor: Professor Christine Woody

9:00 – 12:10 p.m. Social Science Presentations

Communication Studies and Digital Media Informatics

Freedom Hall 122

9:00 – 9:15 POSTER SESSION

9:20 – 9:30 “Conversations from the Classroom: A Podcast” Andrew Deegan (Dr. Amy Franzini)

9:30 – 9:40 “Freedom Hall TV Production” Ciana Bowers (Dr. Amy Franzini)

9:40 – 9:50 “Political Engagement Event on Widener’s Campus” Jenny Xhemaj (Dr. Amy Franzini)

9:50 – 10:00 “Capturing Life: A Photographer’s Adventure” Sean Matthews (Dr. Amy Franzini)

10:00 – 10:10 “Word Combine: Unity Game Development” Blake Mickman (Dr. Amy Franzini)

10:10 – 10:20 “Project Carnival: A Role Playing Game” Jeremy Johnson (Dr. Amy Franzini)

10:20 – 10:30 “Your Degree+: Double Majors on Campus” Zora DeSeignora (Dr. Amy Franzini)

10:30 – 10:45 POSTER SESSION

10:45 – 11:00 BREAK

11:00 – 11:10 “Perennial: The Making of a Psychological Horror Game” Tyrhee Thomas-Pickens (Dr. Amy Franzini)

11:10 – 11:20 “Undisputed: A Sports Debate Video” Kyree Cofer (Dr. Amy Franzini)

11:20 – 11:30 “A Heart-to-Heart with Adoptions from the Heart: Podcast” Colleen Viereck (Dr Amy Franzini)

11:30 – 11:40 “In a New World: Drafting the First Chapter of a Comic” Jonah Wood (Dr. Amy Franzini)

11:40 – 11:50 “The Gatekeeper: Video Game Creation” Kevin Borden (Dr. Amy Franzini)

11:50 – 12:00 “Delco Friendly: An Environmental Website” Kyle Korthaus (Dr. Amy Franzini)

12:00 – 12:10 “Gift of Life Donor Program: Students Save Lives Challenge” Kaitlyn Lathrop (Dr. Amy Franzini)