UMHB Students Present Research at Annual Scholars' Day

BELTON, Texas - University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) students unveiled their undergraduate and graduate research projects on Tuesday, April 14, during the 2026 Watson Scholars' Day.

Sponsored by the UMHB Office of Research, Watson Scholars' Day requires students to complete all the steps necessary to present at a conference, including identifying a topic, conducting research, and ultimately explaining their findings publicly.

"This is the absolute highlight of my semester! I am amazed and pleased to see so many excited students discussing their research with other students and faculty members. Students have worked hard the whole semester, or maybe even two semesters, on their research project, and now they get to share their findings and enthusiasm with others. This is a wonderful way for UMHB to support students and their research interests," said the university's director of undergraduate research, Dr. Joni Ylostalo.

Participants included 143 students and 26 faculty sponsors. Award recipients are as follows:

Creative Works

1^st place Education

Scholar: Shelby Weaver

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Emily Smith

Title: Dental Visit Immersion Room Experience

2^nd place Education

Scholar: Jeana Green

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Caroline Pollard

Title: The Revival That Changed America

Podium Presentations

1^st place Humanities

Scholar: Vivian Barker

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Janene Lewis

Title: Women After War: The College Years of the American Literary Feminist Movement

1^st place Education

Scholar: Wilson Guenther

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Jodi Pilgrim

Title: Drivia: A Personalized Learning Platform for Diverse Learners

Poster Presentations

1^st place Christian Studies

Scholar: Yeslem Arredondo

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Michael Laminack

Title: The Christian Case of Law and Order: Reconciling Augustine's Pax Terrena With The Border Crisis

1^st place Education

Scholars: Sarah Heslip & Hayley Levin

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Emily Smith

Title: Influence of Clinic Experiences on Preservice Teachers' Perspectives Toward Working with Individuals with Disabilities

1^st place Education

Scholar: Bin Zhang

Classification: Graduate

Sponsor: Dr. Jodi Pilgrim

Title: Proactive Adaptation in an AI-Saturated Environment in Higher Education

1^st place EXSS

Scholars: Kolby McBee & Preston Blake

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Lester Sombito

Title: A New Financial Framework for Baseball: Using the NFL's Cap and Floor Model as an Approach to Bring Competitive Balance Back to the MLB

2^nd place EXSS

Scholars: Makaelyn Frei, Bennett Seal, Brenna Cook, Mathis Rollin, Jaci Kelly & Lem Taylor

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Ian Ekery

Title: The Effects of Carbon Fiber Insoles on Jump Performance in Division III Female Athletes

3^rd place EXSS

Scholar: Tyler Lesko

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Lester Sombito

Title: When the Puck Drops, Sales Pop: Texas Stars Theme Nights and Merch Revenue

1^st place Health Professions

Scholar: Angel Rodriguez

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Kristal Rychlik

Title: Sleep and Cancer: Could Sleeping More Delay its Progress?

1^st place Health Professions

Scholars: Kelby Been, Maddie Flores & Kaitlyn Bellinger

Classification: Graduate

Sponsor: Dr. Wendi Stewart

Title: The Role of Serotonin Modulators in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Comorbid Anxiety or Depression

2^nd place Health Professions

Scholars: Natalia Cardenas, Lillian Duran, Julia Huynh & Vivian Tran

Classification: Graduate

Sponsor: Dr. Wendi Stewart

Title: More Screen Time, More ADHD Symptoms?

1^st place Humanities

Scholar: Raquel Baker

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Karla Gonzalez

Title: Dual Language Models and Family Communication in Central Texas School Districts

1^st place Natural Sciences

Scholars: Julia Jurewicz & Mariah Saenz

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Mary Croos

Title: Impact of Azadiradione on DNA Oxidation

2^nd place Natural Sciences

Scholars: Kamren Griffin, Carson Gaido, Trystin Brown & Joseph Montez

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Paul Griesemer

Title: Sustainable Hydroponics

3^rd place Natural Sciences

Scholar: Emma Johnson

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Seena Mathew

Title: Do you want to make a bet? Exploring the Gender Differences of Gambling

1^st place Social Sciences

Scholar: Olivia Rakovalis

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Costello

Title: An Exploration of the Impact of Afghanistan and Iraq Deployments on Parent-Child Relationships in Adulthood

2^nd place Social Sciences

Scholar: Lily Perkins

Classification: Undergraduate

Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Costello

Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Brief Workshop for Health Care Professionals on Identifying and Responding to Victims of Human Trafficking