Eight Mississippi University for Women faculty members will present their research at the annual Provost’s Faculty Symposium on The W’s campus, Monday, Nov. 4 from 5:15-7:30 p.m. in the Culinary Arts Institute.

“The Provost Symposium is a great opportunity for our faculty to present the work they are doing to advance their disciplines to their colleagues across campus. The Symposium is truly one of the most anticipated events on the academic calendar,” said W Provost Dr. Scott Tollison.

Dr. Kristi DiClemente, associate professor of history, will begin the session with “Hands-On Learning: Teaching Pre-Modern Topics through Experiential Pedagogy,” which is part of a book she is authoring.

“Along with a review of current research on the topic, I will provide activities and assignments for instructors who wish to incorporate experiential learning into their classrooms,” DiClemente said in the description of her presentation.

Dr. Kristen Figgins, assistant professor of English and teacher education coordinator, will present “To Talk of Many Things: Natural Science in the Fiction of the Victorian Empire.”

Her presentation will cover “the convergence of many disciplines: Victorian culture, illustration, theater, literature and science being the most prominent.”

Dr. Jianwen Crump, assistant professor of speech-language athology, will give a presentation titled, “Investigating the Perception of Preparedness of Speech-Language Pathology Professionals with Behavior Management Across Clinical Settings.”

In the presentation, Crump will discuss the challenge many school SLPs face which is providing effective services while also appropriately handling challenging behaviors. The research included surveying 80 speech-langauge pathologists.

Dr. Magan Evans, assistant professor of nursing, will present “Enhancing Nursing Education: Harnessing AI for Mock Trials, NCLEX Prep and Professional Readiness in ADN Programs.”

The presentation will discuss how “leveraging AI in mock trials and NCLEX prep, ASN programs may better equip students for both academic success and professional competency.” It will also provide a framework of how The W’s ASN program is implementing this into the curriculum.

Next, Dr. Emily Stidham, instructor of graduate nursing, will present “Implementation of Preconception Health Counseling Program.

Her presentation will cover the topic of “Preconception counseling (PCC), a primary prevention strategy that allows a provider to discuss with their patient their pregnancy intention, reduce any potential harm and identify any modifiable risk factors.”

Christina Chunn, instructor of public health education, will present “Mississippi Healthcare Providers’ Practices Around Breastfeeding Promotion.”

The presentation will cover Chunn’s research into “the barriers providers encounter in their practices,” in relation to breastfeeding support.

The penultimate presentation will be given by Dr. Matthew Moniz, visiting assistant professor of English. The presentation is titled, “Ludonarrative Poetry.”

“This presentation takes the concept of ludonarrative from game design and applies it to the crafting of poems that thoughtfully consider the audience’s reading experience,” Moniz said in the abstract.
The final presentation will be given by Stephanie Salvaterra, assistant professor of archives, and Jared Quist, assistant professor of metadata librarian. Their presentation is entitled “Lost in the Stacks: Rediscovering the Blanche Colton Williams Collection.”

The research spawned from The W’s Fant Memorial Library’s project to reunite and preserve the collection of Blanch Colton Williams, an alumna of the university whose works were donated to the library.

“Our presentation will build upon the framework of the Williams project to discuss the difficulties faced by librarians and archivists working with materials that have long, complex administrative histories.” reads the abstract.

The Provost’s Symposium is an annual forum for W faculty to present their research to their peers.

“I’m excited to listen to this group of faculty present their research because their insights not only illuminate complex ideas but also inspire curiosity and innovation, showcasing the incredible potential of our collective knowledge here at The W,” said Patricia Caston, director of sponsored programs and collaborative projects.

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 2,227 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.