Location: Morrie Jones A-B
C01. “Gatekeeping Parenthood: Institutional Discrimination in Social Work and Its Effects on Adoption Access”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Sky Johnson
Mentored by: Dr. Darren Valenta, Dominic Meyers
Abstract
Adoption systems in the United States are intended to connect children with stable families, yet structural inequities within the social work profession limit who is granted access to parenthood. This project examines institutional discrimination in social work and how it affects adoption opportunities for mixed-race and LGBTQ+ families. The study follows the framework of equity and representation in social services, addressing the problem of how professional gatekeeping, biased licensing structures, and insufficient education contribute to discriminatory adoption outcomes. The purpose of this research is to argue that structural barriers within social work, particularly racial disparities in licensure and a lack of required LGBTQ+ education, enable discriminatory decision-making that prevents qualified families from adopting. It highlights how inequities within the profession translate into real consequences for families and children seeking permanent homes. Research methods include personal, and found, interviews with families from diverse adoption backgrounds. Additional research was conducted on laws and policies governing social work and adoption programs, alongside collaboration with students to better understand educational practices/barriers within the profession. The results of this project are tangible solutions that can be implemented at Concordia and within student communities. These include educational resources, licensure study support, and advocacy to raise awareness about discrimination in adoption systems. By giving students knowledge and tools, we can support the next generation of diverse social workers and encourage change within the profession.
C02. “Deepening Perceptions of “Musicking” within Civil Rights Pilgrimage”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Ephriam Cooper
Mentored by: Dr. Jeff Meyer
Abstract
By studying the way pilgrims go about “musicking,” or music as action, this paper aims to examine how music is utilized to heighten the transformational effect of Civil Rights Pilgrimage (CRP). Supplemented by interviews with organizers, students, and participants, we learn that music is inherently intertwined in how pilgrims reckon with the often-brutal history of the Civil Rights Movement. Pilgrims may find themselves listening contextually to a historic recording, singing in a church service, performing at a shrine, or recalling a prior event by reanimating actions or movements from that event, among other engagements. By performing this range of actions, one can recontextualize the feelings that activists experienced, without the limit of words. Pilgrimage happenings on CRP welcomes a Turnerian ideal of communitas via the shared experience pilgrims have as their understanding of the Civil Rights Movement grows. Musical choices for active listening and performances on a CRP range from emotional laments and ballads of hope to incendiary diatribes and longings for liberation and justice. Juxtapositions are created within genres and topics, which creates the emotional complexity that informs the pilgrim’s understanding of the movement. This paper ultimately seeks to extend this sector of scholarship by articulating how the soundscape of modern pilgrimage can aid student learning and enhance the transformative aspects of pilgrimage. One can find new insights as to how 21st century pilgrimage can incorporate music and modern/contemporary artistic creation into the programming of a pilgrimage.
Location: Morrie Jones C-D
C03. “‘Women Will All Turn Monsters’: Misogyny and Villainization of Femininity in Shakespeare’s King Lear and Macbeth”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: India Carlson
Mentored by: Dr. Karla Knutson
Abstract
The goal of this project is to dive into two of William Shakespeare’s well-known tragedies, King Lear and Macbeth, and describe misogyny that is shown throughout the two selections. Although Shakespeare’s plays feature a wide range of well-developed women, his assessment of the female mind, body, and experience, is inherently misogynistic. While these characters have been studied in depth, both in an effort to condemn Shakespeare’s portrayal of women’s bodies, minds, and lives, as well as to redeem him and his writing, his portrayal of femininity cannot be saved by the rare depictions of ‘good women’ that he includes in his plays. The analysis of King Lear will focus on the use of misogynistic language. It will also dissect the systematic misinterpretation and at times unnecessary vilification of Regan and Goneril, reframing some of their actions as rational responses to abuse of power rather than a specifically female type or cruelty and instability. Macbeth’s section will home in on how traditional gender roles and performances are critiqued, as well as analyzing the differences in the Macbeth’s individual descents into madness and their ability to deal with power. The throughline between examinations of the plays will be the positioning of the female mind as weak, both in the face of men and power. Overall, this presentation makes clear that both plays contain a significant amount of sexism, and Shakespeare’s portrayal of the female mind is irredeemably misogynistic.
C04. “Escaping the Shackles of Misogyny- Medea”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Ava Rolfson
Mentored by: Dr. Stephanie Lemmer
Abstract
My research is an analytical look into Euripides’ “Medea”, using Sara Ahmed’s theory of the circulation of emotion. My method for this research is a deep dive into lines 1019-1080 in Euripides’ “Medea”, and my framework is Sara Ahmed’s theory of the circulation of emotion. The circulation of emotion is the theory that emotions circulate through objects and “stick” certain emotions to them. So, rather than the psychological look at emotions, Sara Ahmed’s theory suggests that emotions are stuck to objects because of predisposed factors in society. For example, a child is not afraid of sharks because sharks are inherently scary, but rather because the 1975 movie Jaws attached the emotion of fear to sharks. So how does this work in “Medea”? “Medea” is a classic Greek Tragedy following Medea, an outcast woman who seeks revenge on her husband after he abandons her for the princess of Corinth. In “Medea”, Medea is presented as a woman struggling to unstick the emotional language associated with her. As a woman who has been left by her husband, she is seen as vulnerable and weak, and as a mother she is seen as obedient, and loving. In lines 1019-1080, the reader witnesses Medea struggle to unstick these emotional attributes from her and sacrificing her humanity by taking the life of her children, ultimately removing these stuck emotions; while also making herself an anomaly, mother (creator)/killer (destroyer)—leaving her alone, however no longer a subject to patriarchal oppression.
Location: ISC 201
C05. “Breast Cancer Survivor”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Anna Jaeger
Mentored by: Dominic Meyers, Eric Bailly
Abstract
Breast cancer treatment is a rapidly changing area of healthcare, and understanding patient experiences is essential for improving service delivery. This project examined a case study of a patient who was diagnosed with breast cancer, completed treatment, and is now doing very well. Drawing on a review of her medical history, current breast cancer screening and diagnostic guidelines, and system-level service and quality challenges. Her experience revealed several healthcare service issues and quality-of-care concerns that shaped her journey, including: initial appointment delays, misdiagnosis, long wait times, issues with imaging, and difficulty scheduling follow-up visits. These concerns highlight broader gaps in timely access, diagnostic accuracy, and care coordination that many patients continue to face when navigating cancer care. This analysis helped identify where breakdowns occurred and how they mirror common barriers within the healthcare system, particularly for patients seeking timely and coordinated oncology services. I first presented this case in my HCL 207 class, where it was well received for its relevance to healthcare service delivery and its clear connection to real-world patient experiences. This presentation hopes to emphasize the importance of improving access, diagnostic accuracy, and patient support for individuals facing breast cancer.
C06. “The Fall and Rise of a Richardson’s Ground Squirrel Population: Using Translocation as a Supplement to Recovery”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenters: Caitlin Haasser, Peter Weinzierl, Katie Waugh, Maria Ramstad
Mentored by: Dr. Joseph Whittaker
Abstract
Richardson’s ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii; RGS) is the second-largest ground squirrel in Minnesota. Living colonially, these squirrels play a significant ecological role as prey, and as ecosystem engineering through burrowing, soil cycling, and creating important habitat for a variety of species. Throughout Minnesota, they have undergone significant population decline, and a large mortality event occurred during 2022 in one of the state’s largest populations. Concerns regarding the long-term viability of this reduced and isolated population have led to discussion of employing genetic rescue to help the population recover. Genetic rescue and translocation of individuals from outside the population are usually only considered when populations become critically low and endangered. However, recent research has supported the benefits of proactively using nearby populations, adapted to similar environmental conditions, to safely reinforce an at-risk population before they become critically endangered. To test the potential for translocation to help reestablish a healthy population, we live trapped two juvenile male ground squirrels at a private site and reintroduced them with radio collars to assess the success of the translocation. After their translocation, their dispersal and establishment were tracked via radio telemetry. Location data were mapped to establish areas of movement for each squirrel. As a reference for these two relocated individuals, one resident squirrel was collared as well. The dispersal areas for the two relocated individuals were substantially larger than the area of the resident individual. In the future, we hope to conduct additional translocations, track movements, and monitor changes to the population.
Location: ISC 260
C07. “’Why do I have to put up with this crap’: Advancing the onboarding experience”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Janae Owen
Mentored by: Dominic Meyers, Dr. Stephanie Lemmer
Abstract
The onboarding process is the most dreaded part of starting at a new company. Many companies are experiencing high employee turnover within the first few months due to their ineffective onboarding process. Employees often feel disconnected, unprepared, and undervalued, leading to early resignations. The current onboarding processes are inconsistent, overwhelming, and lack personalization. New employees are not properly integrated into the company culture or given sufficient feedback and support, which negatively impacts retention. This can all be avoided if companies build a welcoming community and culture for the new employees to join and a greater structured training to enhance skills and knowledge for new employees. This project aims to create a new onboarding process that gives new employees a better experience when transitioning to a company and gets rid of the constant worry of having to fill another position. Continuous and ongoing support to create a safe and open environment for communication. With $12,208, organizations can implement a new onboarding process that allows for a smooth transition for higher ups, current employees, and the new employees. Moving forward, this new onboarding process gives new employees the correct amount of information, personalizing their experience, valuing them for their work, and keeping them connected to the company’s culture can make a constructive onboarding process for everyone. They can create a process that continues to keep employees at a company long term.
C08. “A Second rump Presidency: The First 100 Days”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Jordon Perkins
Mentored by: Dr. Vincent Reusch
Abstract
POETRY READING: These poems were selected from a documentary poetic collection I wrote in response to the first 100 days of the second Trump presidency titled “A Second rump Presidency: The First 100 Days”. Through writing this collection, I gained a better understanding of documentary poetry as a genre. The purpose of this collection was to engage with the second Trump presidency and create poems that harnessed the chaos of the first 100 days. Documentary poetry is a genre that appropriates preexisting texts to create poetic works that engage with historical events. To make these poems, documentary poets utilize base texts in a variety of formats. In my poems, I collaged and remediated material and forms from Truth Social posts, executive orders, songs, emails, and other sources. “A Second rump Presidency” is broken up by “Ole” poems throughout. These poems’ forms are based on the Scandinavian American Ole and Lena jokes. They are meant to serve as more light-hearted breaks in the collection as well as call out the hypocrisy of Trump’s attempts to halt immigration into the United States, as Ole, Lena, and Sven—the characters in these jokes—are immigrants themselves. These poems make use of a Scandinavian American dialect to additionally comment on Trump’s English-only policies. Other poems take aim at President Trump’s frenetic Truth Social posting, the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Denali, censorship, as well as his stances against diversity, equity and inclusion, among other topics.
Location: ISC 301
C09. “Resonance Induced Hyers Ulam Instability in Undamped Spring Mass Systems”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Collin Smolke
Mentored by: Dr. Douglas Anderson
Abstract
A recent study employing Fourier transform techniques presents an incomplete treatment of the Hyers–Ulam stability of linear differential equations with constant coefficients, particularly in the context of the second-order undamped harmonic oscillator (i.e., the spring-mass system). That paper asserts that such systems are universally Hyers–Ulam stable. This paper aims to clarify that the Hyers–Ulam stability of these equations is, in fact, more nuanced and critically dependent on system parameters such as the mass, damping coefficient, and spring constant. Specifically, the undamped spring–mass system is Hyers–Ulam unstable when the mass and spring constant are both positive or both negative. This instability arises due to resonance phenomena in the perturbed system. We also discuss and illustrate additional instability cases to provide a more complete stability analysis.
C10. “A Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy Analysis of Aromatherapy Products”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Madison Van Binsbergen
Mentored by: Dr. Mark Jensen
Abstract
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that can be used for improving sleep, easing congestion, and maintaining overall wellness. Aromatherapy products contain essential oils that are composed of many different chemical compounds that contribute to the specific scent of the oil. Gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) is an analytical technique used to separate the compounds in the mixture based on their boiling points. We used GC-MS to analyze various aromatherapy patches from different brands to determine both rate of release and chemical composition. Our primary goal was to first discover the best injection method for GC-MS analysis (split or splitless). Our next step in the process was to test the rates of release for patches containing different scents. We then used the former research methods to gather data to illustrate the similarities and differences between different aromatherapy products’ chemical profiles. The information surrounding the chemical profiles of these products could be especially useful to consumers of aromatherapy methods and essential oils.
Location: Olin 124
C11. “Performing the Antihero: Hasan Piker; Masculinity and the Rhetoric of Digital Politics”
10:30 – 10:50 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Brennan Jensen
Mentored by: Dominic Meyers, Dr. Darren Valenta
Abstract
Hassan Piker is a digital political personality on twitch, x, YouTube and other platforms who presents politics and debates. This presentation will explore how Hasan Piker builds an online antihero persona that both challenges and reinforces right wing ideas about masculinity. How does Hasan Piker’s construction of an antihero persona through conservative ideals of masculinity reaffirm the right wing rhetoric that he seeks to challenge? Using Victoria A. Newsom et al.’s 2020 framework on alt right masculinities, the study focuses on three key concepts: hypermasculine performance, commodification of persona, and spectacle of transgression. Although Piker promotes progressive politics, his muscular image, aggressive communication style, and use of controversy resemble the same masculine traits often associated with right wing influencers. By applying this model, the paper argues that Piker reclaims masculine credibility for the political left, but also relies on the same link between strength, dominance, and authority that he seeks to critique. Through media examples and analysis of his digital presence, this project shows how online political power today is shaped by performance, branding, and outrage, often placing spectacle above thoughtful policy discussion.
C12. “More Than My Body – A Poster Protest Surrounding Body Image on Concordia’s Campus”
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. | Classic
Student Presenter: Saige Mattson
Mentored by: Dominic Meyers
Abstract
On October 27, 2025, approximately 75 posters were hung up in all female-identifying and gender-neutral restrooms throughout Concordia’s campus. The posters, depicting a black and white mirror, read “you are more than your body” in a large, handwritten font. A QR code was provided at the bottom, giving students the opportunity to share their thoughts on the message of the poster, personal body image, and Concordia’s approach to such topics. The posters were hung up as a protest of the societal systems which have created a culture of intense shame within sexually deviant bodies. 23 total responses were recorded, with eighteen providing valuable qualitative data. Many students expressed Concordia’s need for more messaging surrounding body image. The posters seemed to have a net positive effect, though 5 responses perceived the poster negatively. Based on the data, it is recommended that Concordia consider implementing body-image-based programs.
Location: Hvidsten Christiansen Recital Hall
C13. “The Power of Small Moments”
10:30 – 11:10 a.m. | Panel
Student Presenters: Emily Lubenow, Ayden Schauer, Lea Altic
Mentored by: Dr. Darren Valenta
Abstract
The significance of this panel is to shed light on how some things that others might think are minuscule, unnecessary, and simple can have lasting mental
health effects on someone else. While the situations we are all discussing are different issues, they have always been growing up with us. Silently, but uncomfortably, bugging us like a pebble in a shoe. Each of our pieces centers on a life-altering moment. For Ayden, it was being adopted; for Emily, a bocce ball quiz in middle school; and for Lea, the highs and lows of high school hockey. While these moments may seem small or insignificant to others, they profoundly shaped our perspectives and changed the way we see the world. The autoperformances in this panel were developed through a two-stage creative process. Participants first completed a series of autowriting exercises designed to encourage reflection and spontaneous responses connected to personal experiences. These writings generated material that participants later shaped and incorporated into autoperformances that draw on personal narrative while gesturing toward broader social, cultural, and political contexts. Our final products are our performances; our thematic panel amplifies the way simple memories from the past can be central to a person’s experiences. While a large part of autoperformance is the experience of the performer, an equally significant part of autoperformance is the experience of the audience member. In this way, our results will become actualized as we transform the script into a live performance.
health effects on someone else. While the situations we are all discussing are different issues, they have always been growing up with us. Silently, but uncomfortably, bugging us like a pebble in a shoe. Each of our pieces centers on a life-altering moment. For Ayden, it was being adopted; for Emily, a bocce ball quiz in middle school; and for Lea, the highs and lows of high school hockey. While these moments may seem small or insignificant to others, they profoundly shaped our perspectives and changed the way we see the world. The autoperformances in this panel were developed through a two-stage creative process. Participants first completed a series of autowriting exercises designed to encourage reflection and spontaneous responses connected to personal experiences. These writings generated material that participants later shaped and incorporated into autoperformances that draw on personal narrative while gesturing toward broader social, cultural, and political contexts. Our final products are our performances; our thematic panel amplifies the way simple memories from the past can be central to a person’s experiences. While a large part of autoperformance is the experience of the performer, an equally significant part of autoperformance is the experience of the audience member. In this way, our results will become actualized as we transform the script into a live performance.
Downloadable PDF of the Concurrent Sessions: