Illumination Annual Student Scholarship Symposium
Thursday, April 23, 2026 • 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
Mercy Heritage Room
Illumination Annual Student Scholarship Symposium will feature outstanding research from over 40 students from a variety of academic departments across the university. Review the table below to see which presenters and departments will be presenting, along with the time they are presenting and their topics. Presentations occur on a rotating basis throughout the day. Refreshments will be provided.
Admission is free and open to the public.
| Time | Presenters | Department | Project Title |
| 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | Jaydan Southworth | Religious Studies & Philosophy | Time, Consciousness, and What Happens After Death (Working Model/Speculative Philosophy) |
| 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | Yuta Shiratori | Athletic Training | The Difference in the Effect of Foam Rolling Compared to Other Myofascial Release Techniques on Hamstring Flexibility |
| 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | Nancy Fisher | Sports Medicine | The Effects of ACL Reconstruction and Graft Type on Laxity and Quad/Hamstring Torque Production in Division I Athletes |
| 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | Reid Brown and Harrison Devlin | Intelligence Studies | Kharg Island Invasion Theoretical |
| 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Ethan Weisser | Athletic Training | The Effectiveness of Q-Collars in the Prevention of Head Injuries: A Critically Appraised Topic |
| 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Lukas Cabue | Sports Medicine | Effects of Fatigue on Forehand Down the Line Accuracy in DI Tennis Players |
| 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Logan Cherepko | Sports Medicine | The Effects of Water Bag Training on NCAA Division I Baseball Athletes |
| 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Mckenzie Smith and Ella Knobloch | Intelligence Studies | NWPA Beehive Network |
| 12 to 12:45 p.m. | Alexandra Elk | Athletic Training | Guardian Caps Decrease Risk of Head Injuries in Football: A Critically Appraised Topic |
| 12 to 12:45 p.m. | Ranciel Ventura | Exercise Science | The Effects of Post-Activation Potentiation on Vertical Jump Power in College-Aged Students |
| 12 to 12:45 p.m. | Kayla Fries | Sports Medicine | The Effectiveness of Vestibular Rehabilitation After a Concussion |
| 12 to 12:45 p.m. | Santino Campoli and Jack Malec | Sports Medicine and Exercise Science | The Effectiveness of Core Training on Rotational Power and Hitting Exit Velocity in NCAA Division I Men’s Baseball Players |
| 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. | Erin McKenna | Political Science | The Issue with International Norms: How the Unestablished Criteria of International Norms Can Lead to Contestation and Manipulation Within the International Community |
| 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. | Faith Mackinnon and Allison Lyon | Sports Medicine | The Effects of Temperature on Fine Motor Skills |
| 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. | Nicholas Viselli | Sports Medicine | The Effect of Post Muscular Potentiation on Muscular Force and Power Generation in a Vertical Jump in Collegiate Hockey Players |
| 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. | Jenna Van Schaik | Intelligence Studies | China Land Purchase Project |
| 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Makayla Javier | Sports Medicine | Position-Dependent Relationship of Demographics and Anaerobic Performance in NCAA Division I Female Ice Hockey Players |
| 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Bella Homorody | Sports Medicine | The Change in Awareness of the Female Athlete Triad, The Current Awareness of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, and the Current Awareness of Their Relationship in NCAA Cross Country Coaches |
| 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Hunter Reinken | Computing & Information Science | Data Analysis Techniques Applied to the Star Wars Movie Scripts |
| 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Olivia Soto | Athletic Training | Integrating Nutritional Interventions Into Sports Concussion Rehabilitation Programs |
| 2:15 to 3 p.m. | Ryan Westgate and Samuel Yurkewicz | Sports Medicine | Effects of a Soleus-Based Strengthening Program on the Occurrence of Non-Contact ACL Injuries Among NCAA Division I Athletes |
| 2:15 to 3 p.m. | Mykhailo Polishchuk | Business | Contextual Determinants of Underdog Success in Professional Men’s Tennis |
| 2:15 to 3 p.m. | Connor Clark | Intelligence Studies | Course of Action Development |
| 2:15 to 3 p.m. | Zachary Kourous | Sports Medicine | The Effects of a Rotational Training Program on Batted Ball Metrics in DI Baseball and Softball Players |
| 3 to 3:45 p.m. | Rayn Buckel and Alexander Goodman | Cyber Security and Data Science | AI Resume Scanning |
| 3 to 3:45 p.m. | Isla Tait | Sports Medicine | The Effects of High-Intensity v.s. Low Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Body Fat Percentage, Resting Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Blood Lipid Levels |
| 3 to 3:45 p.m. | Harrison Devlin | Intelligence Studies | Likelihood of a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Between the Years 2027 and 2049 |
| 3 to 3:45 p.m. | Gracie Wayland | Athletic Training | Does Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation Influence Healing of Acute Injuries in Sport? |
| 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. | Aiden Balogh and Anna Wirfel | Intelligence Studies | HIDTA |
| 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. | Cecilia Coglianese | Applied Forensic Sciences | Analyzing Forensic Scene Processing Protocols at the Academic and Professional Level |
| 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. | Haylie Petyk | Sports Medicine | Effects of Gatorade v.s. Propel v.s. Water on Anaerobic Performance of Athletes |
| 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. | Angelina Sabella | Sports Medicine | Effects of Hip Flexor Stretching Exercises on Dynamic Balance in College-Age Individuals |
| 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. | Alexander Quant | Sports Medicine and Exercise Science | Exploring Chronic Overuse Injury Prevalence and Contributors in Six Construction Trades: A Survey Analysis |