According to the Collaborative for Student Success, over 70% of the reading students complete in school comes from non-fiction and information-based texts—reflecting the emphasis standardization places on informational reading within elementary classrooms. Due to time constraints teachers face, this focus occurs often at the cost of imaginative, fictional literature that has been foundational to children’s “book culture”—the experiences and relationships young audiences form with literary texts. Despite their reduced presence in curricula, these stories are seen as “motivating teaching tools” that educators can utilize across disciplines to support language and life skills acquisition (Puliemo et al. 15). This project asks: How do learning standards negatively impact children’s book culture? I will examine the range of genres found in classrooms, Common Core guidelines, and student reading motivation to investigate how standards-driven instruction has reshaped book culture for younger readers. Furthermore, during my student teaching, I observed firsthand how students were more engaged and enthusiastic towards fictional stories such as The World According to Humphrey; my experience reading this book aloud in my placement classroom will operate as a primary source of analysis and reflection for my research. I chose this project because I believe children’s literature plays a large role in shaping identity, fostering empathy, and encouraging lifelong reading habits. As education becomes increasingly standardized, it is important to consider how the literature students encounter is changing, and why it matters.

keywords:  book culture, education, learning standards

The traditional literary canon reflects white hegemonic culture, and it is this canon which informs ELA curriculum in high school classrooms. Although an ideal canon would involve diverse voices, a swift reconstruction of the literary canon is a quixotic task. However, the literary criticisms and practices which frame pedagogical instruction have the ability to  engender an equally inclusive and academically rigorous curriculum. Shakespeare is the de facto figurehead of this problematic literary canon, yet the merit and richness of his work yields itself to many different frameworks. My presentation will consider criticisms which teachers can employ when instructing Shakespeare to curtail the preservation and foregrounding of an insular canon, while being unable to completely rectify its cultural fulcrum. Shakespeare’s Othello will serve as the exemplar text because of its prominent position in Shakespearian curriculum, but also due to its content regarding race and women. I will review and employ critical lenses found in Lois Tyson’s Critical Theory Today, as well as The Folger Guide to Teaching Othello to approach the text from various informed perspectives. English educators must be critical of which voices they are including and excluding in their curriculum, as they possess ineffable influence over their students’ social reality. Through my assessment of Othello I will demonstrate how teachers can avoid imposing the dominant culture, while fostering a scholarly classroom. 

keywords:  Education, Shakespeare, Literature, Book Culture, Teaching

This lecture-style session explores the growing role of adult learners in higher education and the need to create intentional pathways to campus-readiness for this evolving student population. Situated within broader national enrollment trends and the demographic cliff, the session considers the increasing importance of adult learners to institutional sustainability.

The presentation examines the unique characteristics, strengths, and challenges adult learners bring to higher education, including competing life responsibilities, prior educational experiences, and varying levels of academic and social integration. Drawing on current research and student development theory, particular attention is given to the role of psychological belonging in shaping student success and persistence.

Additional focus is placed on emerging and evidence-informed practices that support adult learners through institutional design, student services, and programmatic interventions. Emphasis is given to strategies that foster campus-readiness and improve retention outcomes in a changing higher education landscape.

keywords:  retention, student affairs, demographic cliff, adult learners

This project focuses on the Cambodian Krama, a multi-purpose garment with significance in Cambodian culture. The focus will be on how the Krama has been central to trauma, resilience and pride in Cambodian culture. The garment is an ancient product of the Khmer Kingdom holding importance as a uniquely Khmer (Cambodian) symbol. The Garment was once a central piece in the Khmer Rouge uniform, a regime that committed a genocide in Cambodia. Today the garment is still a part of Cambodian culture, no longer as a source of pain but rather as a symbol of pride and recovery. In this project I will use the film First They Killed My Father (2017). This film follows the story of a young girl and her family's life being uprooted by the Khmer Rouge and the ensuing genocide. Throughout this film the Krama is a major symbol of the change and suffering that Cambodia is experiencing during the Khmer Rouge regime. I will analyze the symbolism of the Krama in this film to show the pain once attached to this national symbol. I will also explain its designation as a UNESCO recognized cultural artifact showing Cambodia's cultural resilience. My goal is to show the persistence of Cambodian culture during hardship through the lens of the Krama.

keywords:  Krama, Cambodia, Cultural Heritage, 

In this essay I will be exploring the space of women in the contemporary Democratic Republic of Congo, a francophone country, in the context of their colonial relationship with France. It is my interest to explore how countries that share the same language can differ in cultural values and actions, through the lens of the treatment of women. For this purpose I will analyze the documentary “The Disturbing Use of Rape in the DRC” (2024) directed by VICE News, as a part of the series Woman with Gloria Steinem, a journalist and feminist activist. French laws impact/benefit women, e.g. the French suffrage movement, and there are modern objectives within the French government to further promote gender equality. This documentary presents a crude reality that starkly confronts the human rights legacy from France in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first-hand accounts of what is happening to women in the Democratic Republic of Congo in this documentary are heart-wrenching and crude, but is an important topic to bring to light.  

keywords:  Treatment of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, gender in subjectivity and space

In this essay I aim to explore how the Italian Somali author Igiaba Scego constructs, perceives, and negotiates her identity as a Muslim-Italian in the global era, using literature to confront the tensions embedded within belonging. I am interested in her complex identity with all of its contradictions and complications as presented in her beautifully written short story “Salsicce” (2003) which acknowledges and confronts her constantly conflicting cultural markers of identity and highlights the difficulties of being a second-generation immigrant in today’s Italy. 

keywords:  identity, belonging, clashing cultures

In this presentation I will be discussing how women can find empowerment over traumatic events through writing. With this purpose, I will be analyzing the short story El Revólver by Spanish author Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851-1921), written in 1895. This story explores topics such as domestic violence and psychological abuse. Even though this is a nineteenth century story, according to the reading that I propose, the topics addressed in the story are still very prevalent today, and the possibility of writing to become a weapon for women's liberation is very appealing to me. This format of writing about traumatic experiences has been found to be empowering and helpful for individuals to reframe their perspectives.

keywords:  Psychological abuse, Domestic violence, Empowerment

This project analyzes how adaptation reshapes the meaning, intentions, and cultural impact of literary texts across time and medium. Using Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper as a foundation, this panel presentation examines the short story alongside its 2021 film adaptation of the same name to explore how narrative, visual form, and historical context transform the text’s central concerns. Drawing on Linda Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation, the presentation argues that reinterpretations of The Yellow Wallpaper do not merely reproduce the original, but translate and rearticulate its critique of gender, medical authority, and psychological distress through the affordances of a new medium. Ultimately, this presentation positions adaptation as a critical site through which evolving attitudes toward gender and power can be traced, highlighting both the possibilities and limitations of reinterpretation.

keywords:  short story adaptation, film analysis, authorial and directorial intent

Across time many stories, especially those of oral tradition, have continued to change and grow into different forms and adaptations. Fairy tales are great examples of this; Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and many other stories. Depending on when these adaptations are created and the intended audience, the characters within can be used to represent different identities, such as female and queer identities. King Arthur of Camelot is a legend that is known worldwide and has been integrated into many aspects of our story telling culture, that continues to change and grow as the people and world do. That can be seen within the different reimaginings of the story that continue to be created; One can think of The Once and Future King by T.H. White or even Disney's The Sword in the Stone, each of which takes a very different approach to characterizing King Arthur. This project will look at Geoffrey Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae as the base text of the legend of Arthur and at Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur as a comprehensive collection of Arthurian Tales that has influenced all retellings since. Using these texts as a starting point this project will examine the similarities and differences of the characterizations of the prominent characters within these texts in relation to more contemporary adaptations such as the BBC’s television show Merlin and the YA novel Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Crouher through a feminine and queer lens.

keywords:  Arthurain legend, Adapations, folk stories, queer identities, gender Identities 

Most museum collections are rooted in colonialism. Today, museums are ever-changing cultural institutions that shape how their visitors see the world. This presentation examines how museum collections shape public memory and how presenting difficult narratives challenges modern racism. Previous research has discussed specifics of displaying objects from the slave trade and how the topic of slavery is presented in collections. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of categorization and gallery location within museums and the often heavily Western-centric understanding such choices impose. This research combines expert and personal testimony to evaluate the cultural significance of museums’ colonial narratives, considering how such narratives can be internalized consciously and subconsciously by visitors, and how Western-centric narratives can be challenged. It argues that colonial collections in museums can be restructured or interrupted by interventions to communicate a more wholistic understanding of global history and give voice to those oppressed by the violence of colonialism. This research further recognizes how some museums are challenging harmful narratives within their collections and providing toolboxes for others to do the same, therefore challenging museums to better steward their collections, challenge stereotypes, and enhance visitors’ understanding of global history.

keywords:  museums, global history, stereotypes, racism, colonialism

In this paper, I examined whether the United States failed to uphold its commitment to safeguard Ukraine’s security under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994. In particular, I explore how the failure of the memorandum exposed weakness in the international security framework on political agreements rather than enforceable deterrence. The study focuses on Ukraine's choice to relinquish the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal in return for security guarantees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia, and the actual value of such guarantees during Russia's invasions in 2014 and 2022.

To answer this question, I examined scholarly research related to the topic, legal texts of the memorandum in English, Ukrainian, and Russian languages, and historical accounts of the diplomatic context of the early 1990s. Particular attention is given to the legal and political language of the agreement, and the distinction between “security assurances” and “security guarantees,” which poses the memorandum as fundamentally faulty from the beginning, and legally obligatory responsibilities. I examined the causes of this linguistic gap and whether the individuals concerned were aware of the possible consequences.

Ultimately, this topic raises numerous issues regarding the legitimacy of international law, deterrence and its effectiveness, and treaties aimed at limiting the proliferation of weapons. The Budapest Memorandum demonstrates the consequences of political commitments lacking corresponding actions to uphold them.

keywords:  Budapest Memorandum, International Relations, United States foreign policy, Nuclear weapons

The French are a culture which embraces its foods and originality. I would like to introduce you to foods that are uniquely French. French gastronomy has the reputation of being haut, high class, exceptional. France awards medals and Michelin stars to chefs whose cuisine is breathtaking such as Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, and Joël Robuchon. Not surprisingly, French cultural cuisine includes some unusual foods that might seem strange to someone from another part of the world. Would you be open to trying a food that originates in another culture, maybe cow’s tongue, for example ... or do I need to double dare you? I have researched and written a paper about unusual French foods, which I will read, and I include a slide show of these foods. Then, when you visit France, you'll have a better understanding of French cuisine.

keywords:  French Food, Offal, Bizarre Food, Ethnic Food 

In this essay, I aim to explore the impact of the 7Elements healthcare program in the Dominican Republic (DR) in which Nazareth University HHS (health and human services) students participated on January 3-19, 2026, and through which we were able to treat Dominican patients in a pro-bono setting and in their own communities. In my view, this program has supported aspiring healthcare professionals to develop what scholar Glenn Martínez in his work Spanish in Health Care : Policy, Practice and Pedagogy in Latino Health (2022) defines as cultural humility; “approaching other cultures with a pervasive desire to learn; it is listening attentively; it is not assuming a shared perspective… Cultural humility is founded on three principles: lifelong learning, power imbalances, and institutional accountability” (Martínez 9).

keywords:  Cultural Humility, Health and Human Services, Dominican Republic, Spanish language

The Lion, the Witch, and the Woodland: The Influence of Brittany’s Mythical Forest in its Cultural Identity is a paper that explores the region of Brittany in the northwest of France and the legends that have contributed to the region's lasting cultural impact. Did you know that the famous tales of Arthur have origins in this mythical region in the northwest of France?

My interest in this essay is to research the significance of the region to have a globally influential and lasting piece of culture that Brittany can call their own by exploring two ancient poems.

keywords:  Brittany, France, Culture, Identity, Legend

The Bahariya Formation, located in the Bahariya Oasis of the Western Desert of Egypt, is known for preserving a diverse vertebrate fauna, including crocodyliforms, fishes, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, non-avian dinosaurs, and snakes. Among these is an extinct, early aquatic snake of the Simoliophiidae that inhabited the Late Cretaceous Tethys Sea. Simoliophis is poorly known due to the specimens consisting of isolated vertebrae, with few cranial elements and ribs. The genus is currently known from two species, Simoliophis rochebrunei of Western Europe and Simoliophis libycus of North Africa. New material has been found in the Bahariya Formation of Egypt and has been attributed to S. rochebrunei; however, this identification is uncertain. Here we present an analysis of a new collection of Simoliophis vertebrae from the Bahariya Formation in Egypt, and compare the morphological differences to other simoliophiids. Our results confirm a new unnamed species of Simoliophis in Egypt, and expand our knowledge of the diversity of Simoliophiidae in the Tethys Sea.

keywords:  Paleontology, Extinct aquatic snakes, Late Cretaceous, Western Desert of Egypt

The vertebral columns of snakes are divided into several regions, each of which can be identified by their characteristics. While other vertebrates have distinct transitions between vertebral regions, snakes have subtle changes over broad transition zones. This can make it difficult to identify from where in the vertebral column an individual vertebra originated. In fields such as paleontology, where specimens are often disarticulated, not being able to pinpoint the position of a vertebra within the column can hinder reconstruction of a specimen and limit further understanding of the organism. We used geometric morphometric analyses to reveal patterns in shape change throughout the vertebral column, and determine a vertebra’s location within the column from those patterns. We used R Studio to analyze landmark data that encapsulates these patterns. The results demonstrate that in addition to the presence or absence of certain characteristics, subtle patterns of shape change can be utilized to place an individual, disarticulated vertebra within the vertebral column with relative accuracy. We expect our algorithm can be used by paleontologists to determine the position of an unknown vertebra within the column, or to determine the order of vertebrae in a disarticulated specimen. With more data the program will become more accurate, so we expect additional contributions will enhance the efficacy of the algorithm. To grow the dataset, we are currently working with a Python program called MLMorph to automate our landmarking process, which will significantly speed up the process and allow us to obtain more data in a shorter amount of time. Once we have a larger dataset, we also want to create a regional classifier in R, in order to designate a specific vertebral region for a given vertebra.

keywords:  morphometric analysis, snakes, vertebral regions

This study aimed to investigate the air quality and the presence of heavy metals on campus at Nazareth University. To accomplish this, air samples were collected using a BGI PQ100 sampler (Mesa Labs) every 24-72 hours using teflon filters from May 19 to June 16, 2025. The mass of each filter was measured before and after sampling to determine the concentration of PM2.5 in the air. The filters were then acid digested with Microwave digester and examined for heavy metals using Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES). The sampling period coincided with reduced air quality in the Rochester area due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 10 ug/m3 to 80 ug/m3 during the period of increased smoke, significantly exceeding the WHO Daily Guideline (15 ug/m3) and the USA EPA Daily standard (40 ug/m3). Concentrations of lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) increased during this time period as well though they remained well below their recommended daily limits: lead concentrations increased from 0.82 ng/m3 to 1.31 ng/m3, nickel concentrations increased from 0.33 ng/m3 to 2.68 ng/m3, manganese concentrations increased from 2.53 ng/m3 to 5.69 ng/m3, and iron concentration increased from 86.7 ng/m3 to 186.4 ng/m3. The disproportionate increase between PM2.5 concentrations and associated metal levels indicates that local anthropogenic inputs likely contributed, rather than wildfire smoke alone.

keywords:  Air pollution, wildfires, heavy metals

In vertebrates, asymmetry in organ placement (the left-right axis) is established through the activation of the Nodal signaling pathway selectively in the left lateral plate mesoderm (LPM). The asymmetric signal starts from two streaks of Nodal expression in the posterior paraxial mesoderm (PM). Nodal expression later expands laterally, then anteriorly in the left LPM, presumably through diffusion of Nodal protein from the left paraxial streak. However, the existence of an expression gap between the PM and LPM nodal expression territories suggested that lateral nodal expansion is unlikely to spread through diffusion of the protein. We used time lapse microscopy of live mesoderm explants from Xenopus laevis embryos expressing nuclear enhanced GFP (Venus), and fluorescence imaging of chromosomes and microtubules during cell division to compare cell behavior in paraxial versus lateral mesoderm. Our results show that cell divisions follow an anteroposterior orientation in the PM, but a medio-lateral orientation in the LPM, a 90° difference in the axis of cell divisions. Our observations suggest that lateral expansion of the Nodal signal might occur by medio-lateral cell divisions and polar distribution of the cytoplasmic determinants of nodal signaling, such as the SMAD2 transcription factor. Our future experiments will address the role of signaling pathways known to be involved in cell polarity in left-right axis determination.

keywords:  Nodal expression, L/R asymmetry, SMAD2

By using discourse analysis, my project examines how people, usually not of Italian ethnicity, authors of news sources, books, etc. Spoke about Italians in the 20th century. Using the media lens that public history is about what we preserve and how it is presented to the public, I analyze five historical sources and two interviews that I conducted myself to explore these ideas. Italians are one of the most represented ethnic groups in the country by total population, yet the way they are discussed in public conversation shifts between acceptance, stereotype, and misunderstanding. This project highlights how the media helps shape public perceptions of Italian Americans. The interviews also provide a modern perspective on these historical narratives in Italian American communities today. By combining historical sources with personal perspectives, the project aims to better understand how public discourse helps shape the experience and representation of Italians in American society.

keywords:  Public History, Italian Americans, Stereotyping, Discourse Analysis.

Sports have long functioned as a gendered institution shaped by stereotypes that position men as the default athletes while women are often treated as secondary participants. This project examines how contemporary U.S. sports media reinforce gender stereotypes through framing differences between male and female athletes. Using Gender Stereotype Theory and Framing Theory, I conduct a qualitative content analysis of recent sports media coverage, including online sports journalism and social media posts from major outlets, to compare imagery, language, and narrative emphasis in portrayals of male and female athletes. I argue that media coverage not only reflects existing stereotypes but actively reinforces them by framing male athletes primarily through performance and dominance while framing female athletes through personality, appearance, or femininity. Because media framing influences public perception, legitimacy, and opportunities within athletics, examining these patterns is important for understanding how communication practices continue to shape gender inequality in sports culture.

keywords:  Gender stereotypes; sports media framing; gender differentials; athlete representation; media bias

This project looks at the harassment, disrespect, and exclusion that women regularly face in the gaming community. Many women, including myself, have experienced harassment while gaming, yet these experiences are often dismissed or overlooked. This topic is important because video games have become a prominent part of society and one of the most popular forms of media. When women feel unwelcome or unsafe, it limits their ability to participate in a community that should be accessible to everyone. As the industry continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to understand how these environments affect the people who participate in them. This study uses a mixed-method approach; data for this study were collected through surveys and focus groups with video game players to better understand their experiences, attitudes, and perspectives regarding women in gaming communities. Deindividuation theory helps explain how anonymity and immersion can reduce personal accountability and encourage behaviors such as harassment and discrimination. When players feel unidentifiable within a large community, they tend to engage in behaviors they would normally avoid in in-person interactions. 

keywords:  Female gamers, Online harassment, Gaming communities, Sexism in video games

In a world of online discourse, it is important to be able to dissect popular internet theories. Celebrities tend to be on the receiving end of this. Taylor Swift, due to her popularity as a global icon, has many internet discourse and theories circulating about her. Swift faces immense online discussion about career and personal life. Her relationship with Travis Kelce is a main topic of discourse online, especially within the Gaylor community. Gaylors, a sub-section of the Taylor Swift fandom who believe she is gay, have created many fan theories about the couple. It became a larger discussion in August of 2025 when the couple announced their engagement. Expanding on my research titled “From Kloss to Kelce: An Analysis of Gaylors and Creating Taylor Swift Narratives,” this presentation explores the discourse that has expanded in the year since the initial project. Through a critical discourse analysis of X (formerly Twitter) discourse and of a survey of Gaylor behavior, this project explores the Gaylor commentary from the past year in comparison to the start of Swift and Kelce’s relationship. This analysis is relevant as the relationship of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has taken the world by storm and increased social media discourse. This research aims to highlight the ways in which Gaylors and Swifties have reacted to various developments in Swift’s life. The findings contribute to large themes of parasocialism and how online fan communities construct narratives of public figures. At large, this research highlights the changing of perceptions that can happen through the online discourse of celebrities' personal lives. 

keywords:  Celebrity Discourses, Taylor Swift, Parasocialism, Critical Discourse Analysis, Social Media, Fandom

In this essay I will explore the impact of Benito Ocasio Martínez, better known as Bad Bunny’s, performance at the Super Bowl on February 8th, 2026, which generated an abundance of controversial reactions in the media. Bad Bunny is both a cultural phenomenon and political figure which transcends his impact in his homeland of Puerto Rico and the United States. For Puerto Ricans, this performance was a love letter to their island, for conservatives in the United States it was an act of divisiveness. I will be analyzing his performance through the history of Puerto Rico with the United States, as well as how the reaction in the media held a mirror up to the current state of our society, and how we define America.

keywords:  Puerto Rico, United States, Bad Bunny, Culture 

In this presentation, I will analyze the concept of and ideology behind the construction of the ""banlieue"" as presented in Ladj Ly’s film, ""Les Misérables"" (2019). Ly is a French filmmaker of Malian descent who grew up in the same ""banlieue"", or marginalized low-income neighborhood in the suburbs of Paris, as where his film takes place. Please don’t be mislead by this reference to Victor Hugo’s 19th century masterpiece, ""Les Misérables"", because this is a contemporary and 21st century take on its themes and settings of oppression and marginalization among young people in Paris. This film goes even further to highlight the complexities of modern urban politics by addressing racial marginalization and police brutality, which is where I have placed my focus in my research.

keywords:  Paris, Marginalization, Youth, Police Brutality, Cinema

This project analyzes French rap as a cultural and political form of expression. Through analysis of song lyrics and scholarly sources, it explores how the genre emerged from marginalized banlieues and addresses issues like immigration, inequality, and discrimination. This paper combines textual and linguistic analysis in order to examine how stylistic features such as slang and rhyme are used as social critique. I chose this topic to better understand how music reflects and challenges social realities. Overall, the project argues that rap, including French rap, functions simultaneously as a method of artistic expression, a powerful voice for marginalized communities, and a critique of systemic injustices.

keywords:  French, Culture, Music