Hendrix Odyssey Program
Project Funding
October 2015
With the October
2015 funding cycle, the Committee on Engaged Learning continues to surpass the
$3 million dollar point in Odyssey grants awarded during the past decade to
Hendrix students and faculty. In this cycle, there were 35 projects that
received $101,173.24, bringing the total awarded since the Odyssey Program’s
inception in 2005 to $3,197,841.29.
Poetry, art, dance, science, agriculture, service, business and history
will all come alive for Hendrix students as they travel the world pursuing
their educational passions through Odyssey.
Jericka Battle
Are you allowed to
say that? An analysis of evaluations of professors teaching race related
courses
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Zorwick
Psychology
major Jericka Battle will travel to the 17th annual Society for
Personality and Social Psychology conference in San Diego, Calif. She will
present her research on the effect of participant race and gender on the evaluation
of professors teaching classes related to diversity and inequality issues.
Leah Bishop
and Elissa McDavid
Contextualizing
Migration
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr. Anne Goldberg
Leah Bishop
and Elissa McDavid will explore the immigrant crisis in Hungary through
discussions with aid organizations, policy makers and academics. They will
consider the situation in the context of globalization, economic need and
national identity, along with the concept that academia plays a crucial role in
attaining social justice.
Katie Casper
and Mat Larimer
Hear Hendrix Again:
Collaborations
Category: SP
Sponsor: Tonya Hale
Hendrix has
many gifted singers and songwriters. Katie Casper and Mat Larimer intend to
bring them together to record a collaborative CD that highlights their talents.
They will learn to produce and record an album, showcasing the music of Hendrix
with the proceeds benefiting the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.
Shannon Clark
ESL Certification
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr. Peg Falls-Corbitt
Shannon Clark
has a strong interest in teaching English as a second language. Participating
in an accredited online course through the International TEFL Academy and
conducting lessons under the supervision of a certified teacher will result in
her own certification. She notes that due to the high number of immigrants to
the United States, there is a shortage of qualified teachers who can assist in
the education of immigrants and their children.
Blake Cooper
Camaraderie, Clinic,
and Cusco: Service in Peru
Category: SW
Sponsor: Dr. Mark Sutherland
Peru has a
lack of trained health professionals and insufficient funding in rural areas,
creating significant health care inequalities throughout the population. Many
people can’t afford medical care. Using International Volunteer Headquarters,
Blake Cooper will help improve the health and well-being of the population,
using her Spanish skills to interact with the patients. She will assist with
non-medical tasks to help the clinic run more smoothly, while learning more
about healthcare in South America.
David Dobry
Neuropsychology
Externship with the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr. Sara Taylor
David Dobry
is learning about neuroscience and psychology during an externship at the
Psychiatric Research Institute at UAMS. He is observing clinical evaluations of
patients with conditions like Parkinson’s and epilepsy, participating in
cognitive data collection, inputting data, and analyzing results. He also will
be spending time in other areas of the PRI like the child diagnostic unit and
Brain Imaging Research Center, as well as attending interdisciplinary surgical
meetings. These experiences are helping give him an insider’s look at professional
fields he may enter in the future.
Marissa Earles,
Betsy Fritsche and Anna Sheals
How Not to Starve As
An Artist in New York City
Category: SP
Sponsor:
Prof. Maxine Payne
Marissa Earles, Betsy Fritsche and Anna Sheals will head to
New York City this spring to explore their individual artistic interests,
research opportunities for successful careers through discussions with resident
artists, and expand their exposure to contemporary and historic art. Separately,
they will develop their professional skills in urban architecture, photography
and graphic design, respectively.
Kate Emery
Effects of perinatal
exercise on the enzymatic properties of neonatal mouse diaphragms
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Dearolf
After
conducting research this summer, Kate Emery will present her results at the
national Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology meeting in January 2016.
Her poster is about her project to determine the effects of perinatal exercise
by the mother on the enzymatic properties of neonatal mouse diaphragms.
Avery Garza
Arkansas Readers' Map
Category: PL
Sponsor: Prof. Hope Coulter
The Arkansas
Readers’ Map lists and honors writers with a meaningful connection to the
state. The map is being updated and reprinted in the spring of 2016. Avery
Garza, a marketing and communications major, will serve as the publicity intern
for the project. Garza will develop and implement a marketing plan, including
promoting the map to schools, libraries, readers and social media outlets.
Marley Halter
Sustainable
Viniculture in California
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Joyce Hardin
California is
the center of American viniculture, the growing of grapes for the purpose of
making wine. Marley Halter will visit wineries in San Francisco, Napa Valley
and Mendocino County to study the impact of viniculture on the earth and
society. She is particularly interested in vineyards and wineries that have
organic, biodynamic, natural and sustainable agricultural methods. She plans to
share the information she learns with those involved in Arkansas viniculture.
Laura Hildebrand
Online
Self-Presentation in Social Media: The Effects on Self-Objectification,
Benevolent Sexism, and Self-Perception
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Templeton
Laura
Hildebrand will present her research “Online
Self-Presentation in Social Media: The Effects on Self-Objectification,
Benevolent Sexism, and Self-Perception” at the Society for Personality and
Social Psychology Conference. She is examining how online self-presentation in
social media may increase self-objectification and participant acceptance of benevolently sexist statements.
Elizabeth Hodges
and Jericka Battle
An in-depth look at
Hawaiian Parks and how they deal with Culture and Education
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr. Peter Gess
To understand how the national and state park systems in Hawaii
effectively educate the public on Hawaiian culture, Elizabeth Hodges
and Jericka Battle will conduct an on-site investigation. They will visit three
national parks, three state parks and a cultural center to see how these sites
choose to educate the public, which can influence how Hawaiian culture is
viewed by non-Hawaiians.
Andrew Jordan
How do we think
turning points for others are fated? The role of counterfactual thought and
perspective taking on meaning making
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Zorwick
Andrew Jordan
will present a poster at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in
San Diego, Calif., in January. His research focuses on counterfactual thought
(the process of imagining how one’s life would be different if something in the
past had changed) and the concept of fate.
Hannah McCarthy
A Continuation of the
Stabilization of the Hendrix Cat Colony
Category: SP
Sponsor: Christy Coker
Many cats
call Hendrix home and have become a well-known part of the community. This
project continues the previous efforts to stabilize the cat colony by
spaying/neutering the remainder of the felines, maintaining nightly feedings,
and providing monthly flea treatments. Hannah McCarthy is also expanding her
attention to colonies beyond the main campus and encouraging the adoption of
kittens to maintain the number of cats at a sustainable level.
Alex McIntyre
Travel Funding for
NCUR
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Sara Taylor
Alex McIntyre
will present two research projects at the National Conference on Undergraduate
Research in Asheville, North Carolina, in April. The first concerns a novel
treatment to prevent the development of stress-induced anxiety and depression.
The second focuses on the link between alcohol and caffeine and binge drinking.
Evan Mitchell
and Emily Hill
The LGBTQ
Community: Exploring What is Still
Distinct about Gay Culture
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr. Jay Barth
Emily Hill
and Evan Mitchell will study and experience the changes in the gay and lesbian
community in San Francisco by comparing the culture, politics, and health of
residents from the 1980s to the present. They will focus on how the relatively
quick change of public opinion toward support and assimilation into heteronormative
American life could cause lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer culture
to lose what makes it unique.
Grace Oxley
and Audrey McMillion
Making a Home at
Grasmere: A Creative Sojourn in the Lake District
Category: AC
Sponsor: Dr. Giffen Maupin
Grace Oxley and Audrey McMillion will follow in the literal
and figurative footsteps of sibling Romantic poets and authors, Dorothy and
William Wordsworth. Inspired by the scenery of the Lake District in England,
they will use film photography and poetry to appreciate natural beauty and the
sublime, a recurring theme in the Romantic era tradition. This project is
co-sponsored by the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and
Language.
Garret Reese
Volunteer Firefighter
at Beaverfork Fire Department
Category: SW
Sponsor: Prof. Lyle Rupert
Following a
long family tradition of volunteerism and public service, Garret Reese is a
volunteer firefighter at the nearby Beaverfork Fire Department. He is
participating in first responder classes and undergoing scenario training to be
ready to be of service at the scene of an emergency.
Patrick Rogers
Everyone Needs a
Little Puppy Lovin'
Category: SP
Sponsor:
Prof. Britt Anne Murphy
Therapy dogs
have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in humans as they increase
calmness and improve mood. Patrick Rogers will have his dog Remy certified as a
therapy dog through training classes and official evaluation testing. After
that, the duo will visit local hospitals, nursing homes and colleges to assist
those in stress-related environments.
MiMi Spjut
A Week with
Benedictine Nuns
Category: SP
Sponsor: J.J. Whitney
The nuns at
the Our Lady of the Rock convent on Shaw Island, Wash., practice “Ora et
Labora,” which is a Benedictine style of meditative prayer through labor, done
through their agricultural activities on the island. MiMi Spjut will pray and
work alongside the nuns on their self-sustaining farm as she explores her sense
of place within the Catholic community.
Krys Stetler
Habitat for Humanity
Spring Break Trip 2016
Category: SW
Sponsor: Dr. Wayne Oudekerk
Krys Stetler
will lead a group of 20 Hendrix students to participate in the Habitat for
Humanity Collegiate Challenge. The group will travel to Thibodaux, La., to
volunteer their time in an area prone to flooding. They will do construction,
landscaping, painting or other tasks as needed to help local residents.
Mackenzie Theall
Student Teacher Fuel
Stipend
Category: PL
Sponsor:
Prof. Rynett Clark
Rising fuel costs have placed a burden on
student teachers who must commute for their placements. Travel is often
required both out of necessity and also in order that our student teachers may
experience different communities and school situations. The Odyssey grant will
help defray some of the mileage expenses for student teachers Mackenzie Theall,
Zoe Poulides and Lawrence Bringard this spring.
Jessa Thurman
On Sharing New
Species of Gall Wasps
Category: SP
Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Penner
At the
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Jessa Thurman will use scanning electron
microscopy to create images of a wasp species she recently discovered in Costa
Rica. This project involved collaborative support by both the museum and USDA
Hymenopterist Dr. Mike Gates. These images will be used in a scientific
publication about the as yet unnamed species. She will also use the images in
an artistic and educational display on campus.
Matthew Tran
New Moon, New Year,
New York
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr. Michael Sprunger
Matthew Tran,
Victoria Tang, John Tran, Quy Pham, and Adrian Shuler are interested in
learning more about Vietnamese heritage and culture. They will volunteer with
the Vietnamese Heritage Center in New York to assist with organization,
fundraising and other preparations for the Lunar New Year celebrations in 2016.
This holiday dominates the year with its celebration of both the new moon and
the coming of spring.
Rachel Wells
Determining the
indirect effects that leafcutter ants have on arthropod communities in Costa
Rican rainforests
Category: UR
Sponsor: Dr. Matt Moran
In the Costa
Rican rainforest, leafcutter ants create nests that enrich and deepen the
surrounding soil. Rachel Wells will conduct on-site research to determine the
indirect effects the ants have upon other organisms. She will collect
arthropods and determine their abundance and diversity around the leafcutter
ant nests.
Zoheb Yunus
Japanese Professional
Field Experience
Category: PL
Sponsor: Dr. Lyle Rupert
With plans to
pursue a career in international business, Zoheb Yunus will be an intern at a
Japanese company in Tokyo. Yunus will learn how to conduct business on an
international level as well as observe the differences between different cultures
and their impact on the future of international business.
Dr. James Dow
TSC 2016 Tucson: The
Science of Consciousness
Category: UR
Dr. James Dow
and three students in his Philosophy of the Mind course will attend the Toward
the Science of Consciousness Conference in Tucson, Az. Students will present
papers or posters at the interdisciplinary conference that tackles the
questions concerning consciousness from multiple perspectives and methods,
while focusing on diverse phenomena.
Dr. Joshua Glick
Visions of Dreamland:
A Multimedia Exploration of Coney Island
Category: SP
Dr. Joshua
Glick will travel to Coney Island with four students with different arts
backgrounds, including painting/sculpture, creative writing and photography/filmmaking.
They will see a landmark exhibition about the historic amusement destination at
the Brooklyn Museum of Art as well as explore Coney Island itself. The students
will then create original works representing Coney Island or inspired by what
they discover on their journey.
Dr. Mark Goadrich
Solving Real-world
Problems with Tools from Mathematics and Computer Science: The COMAP
International Contest in Mathematical Modeling
Category: SP
Twelve
students will divide into four teams for the 32nd International
Mathematical Contest in Modeling. Sponsored by the Consortium for Mathematics
and Its Applications, the competitors will use math to solve a problem. Previous
contests have focused on problems such as figuring out the number of boxes and
proper configuration to ensure a stuntman’s safety or designing the best stripe
pattern for a parking lot. The solutions are usually around ten pages,
including figures, diagrams, and equations, along with a layperson explanation.
Dr. David Hales
Faculty and student
travel and presentations at American Chemical Society Spring National Meeting
in San Diego, CA
Category: UR
The national
meeting of the American Chemical Society will be in San Diego, Calif., in
March. Twenty Chemistry students, including Farai Musariri (Dr. Tom Goodwin’s
lab) and Jake Higgins (Dr. Courtney Hatch’s lab), will attend to present their
research. One member of the department will accompany the students.
Dr. Laura MacDonald
Investigating
Molecular Mechanisms of Thyroid Cancer Using Novel Cellular Models
Category: UR
Hendrix
students will work with Dr. Laura McDonald to conduct research on thyroid
cancer using basic cell biology and novel cancer research techniques. Anna
Sharabura and Ben Zamzow will investigate cellular proliferation, which is uncontrolled
cellular division. Will Gibson, Roshaneh Ali and Cade Nelson will focus on
cellular movement.
Dr. Andrew Morgan
Choral Singing as an International
Music Making Experience: Participation in the 2016 Prague Choral Festival
Category: AC
In July, Dr.
Andrew Morgan and 16 members of the Hendrix Choir will head to the Prague
Choral Festival in the Czech Republic, an event that brings together choral
singers from around the world. This year’s festival focuses on Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. The Hendrix choir will
also perform the piece on campus in April.
Prof. Brigitte Rogers
ACDA: Dance. Create.
Inspire
Category: SP
Prof.
Brigitte Rogers, Kathryn Bolt, Wesleigh Harrison and Jennifer Norman will
attend the American College Dance Association conference at the University of
Southern Mississippi in March. The students will work with and dance alongside
students from other institutions, engage in class instruction and experience
the choreographic process in a collaborative way. The experience will conclude
with their performance in an adjudicated concert series.
Dr. Damon Spayde
Travel to the 2016
April Meeting of the American Physical Society
Category: UR
Dr. Jeff
Hazboun will serve as a mentor to the five students who will present their
research results at the American Physical Society meeting in Salt Lake City
this April. He will organize practice presentation sessions before departure
and guide and support the students at the event itself.
Dr. Michael Sprunger
Representing Gender
in East Asian History
Category: UR
Kendra Ide,
Shannon Clark, John Pennington, Joshua Knight, Christian Breaux and Anna Holmes
are enrolled in Dr. Michael Sprunger’s course “Gender and Society in East
Asia.” They will present their scholarly
papers at the Associated Colleges of the South Biennial Conference on Gender
Studies at Southwestern University in February. The will focus on gender in
East Asian history and contemporary representations of the East Asian past.