Symposium Winners
2023 Symposium Winners
First Place
“Traveling Against the Current: From Marianismo to Chicanismo”
Yudith Salas
UHCL/independent scholar
Advisor: Dalel Serda
Second Place
“Generational Violence Against Black Men in Candyman”
Ysel Alcala
Lee College
Advisor: Georgeann Ward
Third Place
“Graham Crackers and Kellogg’s Cereal in Relation to Sexuality”
Deannery Dior Muankaew
San Jacinto College – South Campus
Advisor: Abbie Grub
Fourth Place
“The Importance of Financial Literacy”
Cameron Lanier
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Elaine Childs
Honorable Mention
“Exploring the Workplace Feminism That Changed it All: The 9 to 5 Movement Through Media and Modern-Day Perception”
Rebecca Currie and Diego Moreno
Lee College
Advisor: Georgeann Ward
Honorable Mention
“The Inherent Contradiction Within Feminism”
Rawan Aljaouni
Houston Community College
Advisor: Brandon Williams
2022 Symposium Winners
![2022 Symposium Winners](/symposium/images/2022-winners-all.jpg)
First Place – $200
![1st place winner photo](/symposium/images/2022-winner-1st-place-Dado.jpg)
“Freedom Writers: Demonstrating the Shortcomings in Education”
Sydney Joy Dado
Lee College
Advisor: Georgeann Ward and Javier Ramirez
Second Place – 150
![2nd place winner](/symposium/images/2022-winner-2nd-place.jpg)
"AntiWork and the Inevitable Effects of COVID-19 on the Working Class"
Cheery Chukwukelu
Houston Community College
Advisor: Dan Flores
Third Place – $100
“The Effects of Mental Health on Student Success”
Jennifer Freyaldenhoven, Maressly Garcia
San Jacinto Central
Advisor: Judith Maima
Fourth Place – $75
![Fourth place winner](/symposium/images/2022-winner-4th-place.jpg)
“Sea Glass Research”
Thomas Elder
College of the Mainland
Advisor: John Mohr
Honorable Mention
![Honarable Mention winner](/symposium/images/2022-winner-5th-HM-place.jpg)
“The Effects of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Teachers and Students”
Sophia Flores, Kaitlin Meier, Victoria Murphy, Lyzatte Zuniga
San Jacinto Central
Advisor: Judith Maima
Honorable Mention
![Honarable Mention winner](/symposium/images/2022-winner-6th-HM-place.jpg)
“Gender, Sex, and Religion: A Study of Shifting Views”
Kayleigh Hasselmeier
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Dalel Serda
2019 Symposium Winners
First Place – $225
“Love and Politics: How Political Party Affiliation Changes and Takes Shape over Time”
Zane Stewart
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Dalel Serda
Second Place – $175
“Expression of Love: Gender”
Mia Brown
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Dalel Serda
Third Place – $125
“The Photographic Narrative of Relationships”
Faith Wisner
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Kristy Peet
Fourth Place – $75
“Awareness for Living”
Rosecel Robles
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Stacey Burleson
Honorable Mention – $50
“Unplanned Surrender: Exploring the Sacred Encounter in Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral’”
Jennifer Fonck
Lee College
Advisor: Georgeann Ward
“Love: Abstract or Concrete?”
Brenda Hagans Ratliff
Shadow Creek High School/Alvin College
Advisor: Stacey Burleson
2018 Symposium Winners
First Place
-
"Beauty" by Fatima Salahuddin
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Dalel Serda
Second Place
-
“High-Skilled Versus Low-Skilled: The Perception of Immigrants Based on Skill Composition” by Maizie Fernandes
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Professor Shinya Wakao
Third Place
-
“A Self-Narrative of the Human Footprint: The Evolution of the Selfie” by Madeline Meylor
Brazosport College
Advisor: Professor Carrie Pritchett
Fourth Place
-
“Gifted Education: The Label” by Morgan Turley
Clear Falls High School
Advisor: Professor Elaine Childs
Honorable Mention:
-
“Act Like a ‘Lady’: The Consequences of Gender Roles” by Trekaria D. James
College of the Mainland
Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda -
“Finding One’s Mind in the Cave: Clifford Beers’ Struggle for Personal and Social Enlightenment” by Maria Gelves
Lee College
Advisor: Professor Georgeann Ward
2017 Symposium Winners
First Place
-
Divya Singh
Lee College: "Distinguishing Imitation from Reality: The Boy Code in 'Rite of Passage'"
Advisors: Professors Georgeann Ward and Jerry Hamby
Second Place
-
Diana Lopez
COM: “No More Excuses, Hollywood: The Importance of Honest Representation in Film"
Advisor: Professor Stacey Burleson
Third Place
-
Kendal McLaughlin
COM: “Truth by Design”
Advisor: Professor Kristy Peet
Fourth Place
-
Isis Rendon
COM: “The Ultimate Deception: Christopher Marlowe as William Shakespeare”
Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda
Honorable Mention
-
Lauren Buchanan and Harry Hathaway
COM: “Social Constructionism and the Arbitration of Truth” -
Advisor: Professor Cody Smith -
Chyna Lewis
Lee College: “Perpetuating a Persona: The Mask of Masculinity in ‘How to Date’” -
Advisors: Professors Georgeann Ward and Jerry Hamby
2016 Symposium Winners
First Place
-
Lauren Buchanan
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Dalel Serda)
“From Wikked Wyves to Courtly Ladies: The Evolution of the Female Role in Medieval English Literature”
Second Place
-
Drager Landry
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Herman Trivilino)
"The Physics of Ion Propulsion"
Third Place
-
Santiago Gutierrez
Brazosport College, (advisor: Professor Carrie Pritchett)
"Conflict as Context: Mexico’s Journey Towards Self-Identity Through Revolution and Art"
Fourth Place
-
Kereece McLean
College of the Mainland, (advisor: Professor Brian Anderson)
"Salem Witch Trials Revisited: The Ongoing Troubles of False Confessions"
Honorable Mention
-
Freyja Coe
Alvin Community College (advisor: Professor Elizabeth McLane)
"The Vegan Experience" -
Mandy Solombrino
Lee College (advisor: Professor Georgeann Ward and Professor Hamby)
"The Shackles of Societal Standards on Masculinity in Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" -
Cody Kelemen
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Brian Anderson)
"The Declaration of Independence as a Document of Context: Review of the Initial Changes Made to Jefferson’s Draft"
2015 Symposium Winners
First Place
-
Bertrand Ebang
Alvin Community College (advisor: Professor Elizabeth McLane)
"Using Ultrasound to Treat Children with Sickle Cell Disease”
Second Place
- Alaina Spiers
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Stacey Burleson)
"Humanity's Pride and Prejudice"
Third Place
-
Jason Hayes and Valarie Robson
College of the Mainland, (advisor: Professor Veronica Sanchez)
"Artful Evolution of Alluvial Fans"
Honorable Mention
-
Drager Landry
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Dalel Serda)
"Utilizing Optimism: A Tool Encompassing Motivation and Academic Success" -
Jordan Bryan
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Mark Greenwalt)
"Preservation through Art and Science" -
Drager Landry
College of the Mainland (advisor: Professor Dalel Serda)
"Utilizing Optimism: A Tool Encompassing Motivation and Academic Success"
2014 Symposium Winners
Best Presentations
- Josie Howell
Communication and Humanities (advisor: Dalel Serda) - Siera Blankenship
Fine Arts (tie) (advisor: Dalel Serda) - Natalie Jimenez
Fine Arts (tie) (advisor: Mark Greenwalt) - Andre Rivers
Social and Behavioral Sciences (advisors: Veronica Sanchez; Bridget Walton) - Sara Robertson
STEM (advisor: Ann Guess, Alvin Community College) - Sveta Roady
Best Scholarly Project overall (advisor: Dalel Serda)
Honorable Mentions
- Misty Jackson
Communication and Humanities (advisor: Ann Guess, Alvin Community College) - Michelle McManama
Communication and Humanities (advisor: Dalel Serda) - Callie Rankin
Fine Arts (advisor: Brian Anderson) - Rosie Hallaway
Social and Behavioral Sciences (advisor: Ann Guess, Alvin Community College) - Alaina Spiers
Social and Behavioral Sciences (advisor: Elaine Childs) - Lisa Camacho
STEM (advisor: Ann Guess, Alvin Community College) - Theresa Chandler
STEM (advisors: Serda and Sanchez)
Winners of our 2013 Symposium
Best Oral Presentation
- Kristin Barnes
STEM – “Living on Borrowed Land” (advisor: Dr. Veronica Sanchez) - Austin Eldridge
Social and Behavioral Sciences – “Galveston Bay: 1979 to 1981 - Racial Terrorism in a Small Texas Town” (Advisor: Professor John Britt) - Matthew Kyle Suggs
Communication and Humanities – “High School College Credit Opportunities: The Foundation of Post-Secondary Academic Inequality” (Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda) - Lizz Dobson
Fine Arts – “Sustained Through Time” (Professor: Mark Greenwalt)
Best Poster Presentation
- Trey Gammon, Zach Martin, and Abby Ficklin
STEM - (Advisor: Professor Jim Dobberstine)
Honorable Mentions
- Abigail Dickson & Twila Johnson
STEM – “The Texas City Disaster: The Molecular Level” (Advisor: Dr. Tom Johnson) - Andrew T. Carter
STEM – “A New Direction for the Gulf Coast” (Advisor: Professor Stephen Wethington) - Cheryl Lauersdorf
Social and Behavioral Sciences – “Galveston's Balinese Room Presents Bootleggers, Big Bands, High Rollers, and Headliners” (Advisor: Professor John Britt) - Emma Brant and Kelly Jones
Social and Behavioral Sciences – “Kindergarten Literacy: Pre-School Advantages” (Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda) - Lizz Dobson
Communication and Humanities – “Interaction Increasing Retention: Our Need for a Community-Based Classroom” (Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda) - Grace Schwarz
Communication and Humanities – “Translating Thoughts into Words” by (Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda) - Marcus McGowen
Fine Arts – “From New Orleans to Galveston, How Two Wharf Workers Became Papa Joe & Grandma Gertrude” (Advisor: Professor Dalel Serda) - Deanna Gardner
Fine Arts – “Galveston Through My Eyes” (Advisor: Dr. Ann H. Guess)