Five Randolph-Macon College Honors students presented their research at the Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC), which took place in Arlington, VA, April 5-7, 2018 and was hosted by the Honors Program at Northern Virginia Community College. The SRHC is comprised of more than a hundred member institutions, including Randolph-Macon College.

The students—Elen Khachatryan ’20, Syreen Goulmamine ’19, Joseph Hamilton ’18, Lauren Estell ’19, and Max Petersen ’20—attended the conference with Spanish Professor Mark Malin, director of the Honors program.

Motivated, Distinguished Students
“I sent out a call for students to present their research,” says Malin. “Our Honors program provides outstanding opportunities for motivated and distinguished students, and conferences like this one give like-minded students the opportunity to present their research in a professional atmosphere.” Some of the research was conducted through the Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program; and some of the students did independent research.

Elen Khachatryan ’20 (mathematics and physics major; astrophysics and chemistry minor) presented “Zeta and Gamma functions.”  She was mentored by Mathematics Professor Brian Sutton. “Throughout the research process, Professor Sutton was the best mentor and supervisor I could ask for,” says Khachatryan, who was excited to attend the conference. “I was very happy when a student from another college said that I was one of the most enthusiastic people that she had met.”

Khachatryan is the recipient of the Dean’s Award, the Davis United World College Scholarship, the International Student’s Grant and the Stephen H. Watts Scholarship. The Honors program, she says, “opens doors to great opportunities.”

Syreen Goulmamine ’19 (behavioral neuroscience, Spanish, and biology major) presented “Story Telling and Memory as it Relates to the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s Regime and 21st-Century Spain,” which focused on Soldiers of Salamis, a novel by Javier Cercas. Spanish Professor Michelle Hulme-Lippert served as her research mentor.

“She was great to work with because she’s all about investigation and exploration,” says Goulmamine, a Presidential Scholarship recipient. “I met so many passionate students at the conference, and nothing is more contagious than being around that kind of excitement in the area of research,” she says. “Investigation and learning are integral components in education, and the Honors program embodies them.”

Joseph Hamilton ’18 (psychology major) presented “The Impact of Body Cameras on Public Perception of Police Use of Force Situations.”

He also presented “Evaluating the Effects of an Exercise Engagement Program on the Physical, Social, and Psychological Health of Combat Wounded Veterans,” which examined the impact of the Catch a Lift program on a population of combat-wounded veterans. Psychology Professor Kristen Klaaren served as his mentor for the project.

“Her mentorship has changed my life,” says Hamilton. “She provided insightful feedback at the most pivotal points of my college career and has been the most important variable in my success at RMC.”

Presenting his research at the conference was “challenging but rewarding,” says Hamilton, who also enjoyed talking to faculty from other colleges. “The access to unique classes is the best part about being in the Honors program at RMC,” he says.

Lauren Estell ’19 (biology major; sociology and anthropology minor) presented “The Case of Odysseus and Beyond: Healing through Storytelling.” Classics & Humanities Professor Rosanna Lauriola served as her SURF mentor.

“I shared the research that I am passionate about and represented Randolph-Macon at one of the most prestigious conferences in the Southeast,” says Estell. “I also networked with other scholars in my field and exchanged contact information for possible future collaborations.”

One of the things that Estell, a Presidential Scholarship recipient, loves about the Honors program is that it gives students opportunities to challenge themselves. “The program stands out because of the connections students are able to make with faculty, who stretch students to succeed,” she says.