Temple University Athletics
Resnick Center Hosts Inaugural Student-Athlete Academic Showcase
4.10.24 | General
PHILADELPHIA – On April 5, Temple University's Nancy & Donald Resnick Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes held its inaugural Student-Athlete Academic Showcase. The all-day event featured three panel sessions which included 13 student-athletes from seven varsity programs as well as a poster presentation.
Dr. Scott Graston, Chair of the Communication and Social Influence department in the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication, worked with Tara Evans, the Director of the Nancy and Donald Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes, to launch this Showcase.
"It was a fantastic day for the Temple student-athletes as they showcased their research, shared their passion for academics, and emphasized the significance of involvement in student-led organizations," said Evans. "Their dedication and enthusiasm for academics are truly inspiring, and it's evident that they are not only excelling on the field but also thriving in their academic pursuits. Their commitment to both their athletic and academic endeavors serve as a shining example for their peers."
The first panel presentation, Student-Athletes in STEM, included three members of the fencing team and one women's cross country runner. It was facilitated by Temple University Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Chemistry Vincent Voelz.
A poster presentation was next on the agenda with the following student-athletes presenting:
The next panel, Student-Athlete involvement in Campus Organizations, featured five student-athletes representing four athletic programs. It was facilitated by Assistant Professor of the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Deputy Chair of the Department of Sport and Recreation Management Dr. Elizabeth Taylor. Dr. Taylor also serves as the University's Faculty Athletics Representative.
Dr. Scott Graston, Chair of the Communication and Social Influence department in the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication, worked with Tara Evans, the Director of the Nancy and Donald Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes, to launch this Showcase.
"It was a fantastic day for the Temple student-athletes as they showcased their research, shared their passion for academics, and emphasized the significance of involvement in student-led organizations," said Evans. "Their dedication and enthusiasm for academics are truly inspiring, and it's evident that they are not only excelling on the field but also thriving in their academic pursuits. Their commitment to both their athletic and academic endeavors serve as a shining example for their peers."
The first panel presentation, Student-Athletes in STEM, included three members of the fencing team and one women's cross country runner. It was facilitated by Temple University Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Chemistry Vincent Voelz.
- Dominyka Petraskaite, a senior member of the women's cross country team and a neuroscience, cell and molecular major, presented her research "Investigating the Impact of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5 hmC) on Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis."
- Graduate student fencer Margherita Calderaro, a Neuroscience: Systems, Behavior and Plasticity major, presented her work, "Dopamine Function in Adolescent Social Anxiety: Insights from Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI""
- Junior fencer Constanca Dimas, an environmental studies major, presented her work, "Dynamics of Somatic Mutations in Human Cancer Genomes."
- Senior fencer Anastasia Yankovskiy, a genomic medicine major, presented her work on " Dynamics of somatic mutations in human cancer genomes.".
A poster presentation was next on the agenda with the following student-athletes presenting:
- Senior women's rower Renee Goga, a biology major, presented her work: "The influence of early life adversity on the incubation of cocaine craving in adult rats".
- Senior women's soccer player Kayleigh Kenny, a neuroscience major, presented her work: "A Gap Analysis of Common Data Elements for Machine Learning in Neurocritical Care."
- Women's soccer sophomore Fiona Kilian, a kinesiology major, presented her work: "Fiona's Art Gallery."
- Women's fencing sophomore Anne-Mai Melles, a neuroscience major, presented her work: "Annotation of Ambulatory EEG Data."
- Women's basketball graduate student Denise Solis, a higher education major, presented her work: "Denise's Art Gallery."
- Women's soccer graduate student Nicole Sweeney, a social and behavioral sciences major, presented her work: "Centering the Voices of Student-Athletes' Experiences with Mental Health at Santa Clara University."
- Women's fencing senior Diana Tiburcio, a mechanical engineering major, presented her work: "Efficiency of Electrochemical Stripping for Nitrogen Recovery from Urine with Varying Compositions."
The next panel, Student-Athlete involvement in Campus Organizations, featured five student-athletes representing four athletic programs. It was facilitated by Assistant Professor of the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Deputy Chair of the Department of Sport and Recreation Management Dr. Elizabeth Taylor. Dr. Taylor also serves as the University's Faculty Athletics Representative.
- Men's Soccer senior and finance major Danny Moye led things off with a presentation of the Fox Fund Club, a Student Professional Organization (SPO) in the Fox School of Business.
- Women's Rowing junior Amarna Milne, a journalism major, then spoke on the Global Owls, group aims to create a place where international student-athletes can develop a home away from home and bond over their diverse backgrounds and create a space to celebrate their unique cultures.
- Women's Soccer junior and criminal justice major Natalie Demasi presented on Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization designed to de-stigmatize mental health amongst college athletes.
- Women's soccer senior and sports management major Sumaya Togba then presented on the Black Student Athlete Association, an organization dedicated to the black student-athlete experience.
- The final presentation was given by junior women's rower and kinesiology major Madelyn Fox, on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
- Senior psychology major Brandon Van Vuuren presented his research on "Meta-Analysis on Men's Mental Health..
- Junior mechanical engineering major Dimitrios Stasinos shared his research on Greek language used in the film, The Excorcist.
- Junior psychology major Marissa Moyle presented on "The Computerized You", a psychological study of adolescents and the digital age.
- Junior political science major Grace Dulin presented her work on, "The Impact of Polish Democratic Backsliding on the Experiences of Queer Poles".
Tuesday, June 02
Saturday, May 30
Tuesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 05
