Honors Program Students Make a First for ECSU at UNC-Greensboro Hosted Honors Symposium
Three Elizabeth City State University Honors Program students presented papers to the faculty-reviewed Honors Symposium at UNC-Greensboro earlier this semester. According to program director, Dr. Andre Stevenson, the students’ papers were accepted and presented in February.
“This is the first time ECSU Honors students have submitted papers to be considered for participation in this symposium,” said Dr. Stevenson. “We intend to make this an annual event for our students.”
Students presenting at this year’s symposium were Jaida Ellis, a junior psychology major, Tiyana Boyce, a freshman business major, and Beatriz Neto, a junior business major.
Ms. Ellis presented two papers: “A Study of Student Engagement on a Four-Year College Campus,” and “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and African Americans,” a paper she says was originally drafted for her abnormal psychology class.
“In this paper, I discussed the research that has examined PTSD and how it relates to African Americans compared to other groups,” she said.
In her second paper on student engagement, originally written for her experimental psychology class, Ms. Ellis says it was a “combined effort between me and my classmates.”
“Here, we wanted to explore the different factors of engagement and how they can affect a student’s academic success and preparation for the future,” she said.
Ms. Ellis says the experience was “genuinely enjoyable.”
“After both of my presentations, the floor was opened for questions, which was great because I was able to reiterate key points and also touch on points that went beyond what was in my presentations,” she said.
Ms. Ellis says her goal as an ECSU student is to complete her undergraduate degree and enroll in a psychology graduate program.
Tiyana Boyce took her five-page paper for her intro to business class and turned it into a presentation about corporate culture. Titled, “Corporate Culture: The Roots of an Organization,” Ms. Boyce says she focused on various business cultures including communal, fragmented, networked, and mercenary cultures.
“Every business is based and founded on a particular type of corporate culture, which affects their operations on a day-to-day basis, productivity, and relationship between those working for a particular business,” she said.
Ms. Boyce says she enjoyed the experience and although she did not find it a difficult one, it was a “nerve wracking” experience since it was her first time to present.
“The judge I had was very welcoming and helpful when it came to making sure everything I needed to present was in place,” she said. “I am glad that I attended and got to have the experience.”
Ms. Boyce is an entrepreneur at heart and says her goal is to use her business degree to launch her own company.
“I plan on owning my own cosmetic and clothing line while modeling in my free time,” she said. “I am very passionate about the modeling and fashion industry.”
Beatriz Neto presented a paper titled, “BMW vs. Daimler AG: A Comparison of the Companies’ Annual Financial Reports.”
“For me, speaking at the Honors Symposium was a very enriching experience, where I had the opportunity to expose my work, get feedback and have discussions with not only expert professors but also fellow honors students from other institutions,” Ms. Neto said.
A competitive tennis player, Ms. Neto was recruited to ECSU as a member of the tennis team. She said the university’s accredited business program led her to finalizing her decision to become a Viking.
After graduation with a degree in business administration, and concentration in economics and finance, Ms. Neto said she will pursue a master’s degree in international relations.