Showcase morphs interests to passions

RESEARCH ALL ABOUT IT — Erin Canton (’18) displays research on at-risk college students and resilience. (Alayna Parsons-Valles)

Each spring, hundreds of Hope College students present their research results at Hope’s annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performances. In 2015, 360 students showcased 229 projects.

Summer research is on a smaller scale but still represents the success students reached in their research projects that reflect their passions and goals.

“The cool thing about this research is that it is applicable to the profession we want to go in,” shares Marissa Lozser (’18) about what her and fellow researcher Jon Chiczewski (’18) did with African American and European American speech.

Chiczewski informs us, “We recorded voices of children 8-12 years old and played the recordings back to listeners. They had to guess if the speaker was male or female and then if they were African American or European American.”

Lozser touches on the results of their work, “This project ties into exactly to what I want to do, speech language pathologist. We definitely worked on something that I will be able to use later.”

The Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Research took place in Maas Center Auditorium Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. Hope students presented their research posters and work at this showcase event for the campus and Holland community to learn and enjoy.

Research allows students from any area of study to explore their interests with help from faculty members and millions of dollars of funding each year.

“I really enjoyed working with Dr. Kraus, Julia Hines said on her research of French street art displayed in the neighborhoods affected by the Paris attacks in 2015.

Hope website shares that faculty are consistently awarded funding of their research and scholarship from eternal agencies and foundations.

From July 2014-July 2015, faculty were awarded over $2.5 million to pursue more than 40 projects on topics ranging from nanoscience to Latin-American feminism.

Erin Caton (’18) shared the enjoyable benefits that come with the research, “My favorite parts were in the relationships I built. The collaboration with Dr. Chavis was amazing.” Caton researched at-risk college students and data provide evidence that the more college students are involved on campus the more resilient they will be.

I really like the outcomes of my research. It finds that when students are more active on campus they show better resilience. I am really involved in cam pus so this backs me up. – Erin Caton (’18)

Caton shares she enjoyed being a part of the summer research group. “I’ve gone to research showcases at the Dow and it was a little overwhelming. Being in a smaller group and actually being involved in the research is better.”

Emily Lindbloom (’20) was only a freshman, now sophomore, when she went into her research this summer. She collaborated with Dr. Heath to “reconstruct” French Medieval Cathedrals. Lindbloom had the opportunity to have her very own studio.

“It was intimidating at first and it was a real challenge to my stamina,” Lindbloom said she showed her artwork she completed over the summer inspired by the French cathedrals and Holland area. “I was working on my art eight hours a day. It was a good experience.”

Humanities research allows students an opportunity of exploration. Helping students to seek their passions through an unlimited bank of options. Through the hours of data contemplation and analysis, relationships and lasting bonds were formed. Tools that will carry students through their professional careers.