Contact: Morgan Tubbs
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's Shackouls Honors College recently hosted the inaugural collaborative honors college conference in the state of Mississippi.
More than 130 students from 10 colleges and universities across the state participated in the conference. A student-led and governed event, the conference was planned and carried out by the MSU University Honors Council.
Students gathered for two days of paper and poster presentations displaying the undergraduate research skills of some of Mississippi's brightest honors students. Participants also discussed and exchanged ideas for growth and progress in the areas of research and honors college programs throughout the state. Honors deans, directors and faculty also met during the conference to discuss honors growth and practices.
Research award winners include:
--Visual display awards: Cameron S. Clarke of Mississippi State, the physical science and engineering division; Donaven McLaurin of the University of Southern Mississippi, social sciences division; Arik Shams, also of USM, life science and engineering division; and Mason Shelton of Delta State University, arts and humanities division.
--Presentation awards: Hannah Berman of USM, arts and humanities division; Barsha Subba of Mississippi University for Women, science and engineering division; and Sofia Tent of Pearl River Community College, social sciences division.
In addition to the above listed schools, participants also attended from Meridian Community College, Mississippi College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and University of Mississippi.
Conference president Gracy E. Hewes, a senior MSU kinesiology major from Germantown, Tenn., said the conference is designed "to unite students from across the state and encourage them in their intellectual and personal pursuits, and I think that we accomplished that purpose this year."
The 2013 conference established a strong foundation for growth as organizers begin planning for the 2014 gathering at USM, she added.
"It was a rewarding experience to see students from across the state come together for a singular purpose," Hewes said. "We enjoyed listening to the research that other Mississippi students are doing and it made me proud of our state.
"I think that this conference has the potential to grow into an essential outlet for community building and will challenge each school to grow in their programs," she emphasized.
For more information on the Shackouls Honors College, visit honors.msstate.edu.