2025-2026 Student Fellows
Sophia Da Costa
“Perspectives of Mental Illness”
For my project, I aim to understand the importance that students place on environmental factors (as opposed to physiological factors) when discussing the causes of mental illness. To do this, I will look at the influence of mental health stigma and the understanding of the brain and its functions in forming a person’s perspective on mental health. The second part of my project will entail creating a children’s book informed by the results of the study. The story will be about how different kids, when faced with the same challenging situation, might all feel anxiousness or sadness but for different reasons. For example, a group of students may all be nervous about taking a test. But the root of this feeling may be different for each: one may have a neurotransmitter deficiency (physiological), one may be feeling the pressures of achieving good grades (environmental), and one may be experiencing both physiological and environmental stress. The book will teach young readers that people can experience the same feelings due to different factors, and that each of those factors is valid.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Patrick Orr
*Sophia is a neuroscience major, class of 2026
Rebecca Doyle
“Tuning the Brain: Exploring the Neurocognitive Effects of Music Therapy on Emotional Regulation and Neuroplasticity”
In this interdisciplinary project, I will examine the role of music therapy interventions in supporting emotional regulation and promoting neuroplasticity among emerging adults experiencing emotional stress. Drawing on neuroscience, counseling theory, and music-based therapeutic practices, through this research, I hope to generate insights into how structured music experiences may function as well-being and cognitive change tools.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kristy Elrod
*Rebecca is a double major in neuroscience and physiology, class of 2026
Ana Maria Duque
“Echoes of the Drum: The Importance of Technology in Preserving Colombian Rhythms”
Through this project, I aim to bridge my knowledge of technology, my passion for music, and my background as Colombian by developing a tool that transcribes live percussion into digital music notation. In Colombia, traditional musical styles such as cumbia, currulao, and bullerengue have historically relied heavily on oral transmission. In order to preserve this music,
I will develop a software tool that transforms the audio of the drums into a readable standard drum notation for the musician’s use, as well as a curated digital archive of music sheets for a five-piece drum set. After creating this tool for drummers, I will transcribe Colombia’s diverse percussion heritage into drum notation, making traditional rhythms more accessible to musicians around the world.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Juan Serna
*Ana Maria is a computer engineering major, class of 2026
Jordan Johnson
“A Love that Burns Eternal: The Radical Case for Unrequited Love”
There is a love this world does not understand. A love that asks for nothing, yet gives everything. A love that chooses to endure without answer. This project is a meditation on that kind of love, unrequited and unwavering, as a strength, not a weakness. In an age that has trained us to measure love by how much we get in return, I seek to reclaim the dignity and the majesty of a love that gives itself away, even when nothing comes back. Drawing on the existential theology of Søren Kierkegaard, the poignant confession of Alcibiades in Plato’s Symposium, and the crucified love of Jesus Christ, in this project, I will argue that the truest love is one that burns on regardless of reciprocity. <
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Duane Armitage
*Jordan is a philosophy major, class of 2026
Sophia Perrin
“The Meaning of Being: A Heideggerian Investigation of Existence”
Through this project, I will complete an in-depth examination of the question of Being and what it means to be in a philosophical sense. Martin Heidegger provides a foundation for understanding how to approach this question in an organized manner. However, his writing does not make explicit the fullest possible response to completely ascertain sufficient knowledge for addressing this question of Being. The objective of my research is to analyze the writings of
Heidegger and his use of Pauline language to formulate a comprehensive response that expresses what the meaning of Being is and what it is to be.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Duane Armitage
*Sophia is a triple major in philosophy, history, and theology and religious studies, class of 2026
Shane Reznick
“Scarring Europe's Youth: A Generation Ravaged by Hate”
In this project, I will examine the societal and psychosocial effects of Germany and Italy’s many youth groups, programs, curricula, and organizations following the formation of West Germany in 1949 and Benito Mussolini’s ascension to power in 1922. The role of youth groups in society, the effects of mass media on youth, and how to best promote and protect the best interests of young people are just a few of the questions that I will attempt to address.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Roy Domenico
*Shane is a double major in history and theology, class of 2027
Naya Rowe
“Laughter Is the Best Medicine: Satire and Humor in Contemporary Black Theatre”
In this project, I will analyze how contemporary US-based Black playwrights explore Black life through satire, and in doing so, develop an understanding of how Black playwrights contribute to a broader literary conversation. The playwrights I will study are beginning to pioneer a new kind of storytelling about the Black experience: moving away from stories centered on pain and trauma, they choose to write a different narrative, deciding to showcase the Black experience through humor. In the course of my research, I will examine the playwrights' backgrounds, study literary theory related to satire, and analyze relevant primary sources.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hank Willenbrink
*Naya is an English major, class of 2026