Seniors in the Gordy Honors College at Mississippi University for Women were recently recognized for their research at the 2023 Mississippi Honors Conference held at Itawamba Community College Friday, Feb. 3.

Left to right: Lillian Ergle, Crystal Adams, Kayla Redmond, Mackenzie Pearce, Alyssa Cox

“We are very proud of the meaningful research these students are doing. All their projects have real-world applications, and it’s really exciting when they get to share them with a wider audience,” said Dr. Kim Whitehead, director of the Ina E. Gordy Honors College.

“The conference is also a great opportunity to network with other young researchers and get feedback from faculty across the state.”

Mackenzie Pearce won the top prize in the University Humanities/Social Science Poster Category for her project “The Women of the Magnolia State: Understanding the Status of a Contemporary Women’s Movement.” Crystal Adams placed second in this category for her project “An Exploration of How Nontraditional Students are Defined and Supported in Mississippi Four-Year Universities.”

Also presenting in the Humanities/Social Science category was Alyssa Cox for her project “Fostering Inclusive Behaviors in College Professors: A Glimpse into the Effect of Professor Behaviors on LGBTQIA+ Students.”

Two other Gordy Honors students tied for second place in the STEM Poster Category. Both students work in the lab of faculty member Dr. Benjamin Onyeagucha. Lillian Ergle placed for her project “Investigating SCUBE3 Nuclear Localization in Presence of DOX Treatment in the Cell” and Kayla Redmond for her project “Characterizing EGFR Function in SCUBE3 Over-Expressed TNBC Cells.”

The W’s presenters were among more than 30 students presenting from four community colleges and three other universities, including Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi and University of Southern Mississippi.

In 2024, the conference will be hosted by Mississippi State.

About The W

Located in historic Columbus, Mississippi, The W was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the United States. Today, the university is home to 2,193 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations and has educated men for 40 years. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, diversity and social mobility which empowers students to BE BOLD.

Be Bold. Tower with Blue.