Honors Day

Honors Day is dedicated solely to the celebration of excellence at our College. It builds awareness among MMC students of the importance of intellectual achievement within the academic community. The events of the day center on the Honors Colloquium, where select students present research papers, creative projects, and scientific projects to the College community. Honors Day also features ceremonies to induct deserving students into the College’s honor societies.

The  2024 Honors Day Celebration will be held on Tuesday, April 16.

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2024 Honors Day Program

8:30-9:30 - Coffee, tea, continental breakfast
The Commons East, 3rd Floor Carson Hall

9:30-11:00 - Honors Day & Senior Academic Awards Ceremony
Theresa Lang Theatre
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/97974030235

Moderators: Honors Day Committee – Profs. Elkin, Serafin, Paradis & Paura 

Welcome & Congratulations
Interim President Peter Naccarato

Remarks
Michael Salmon, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Academic Excellence

Dean’s Award for Excellence Student Presentation
Honoree Ashleigh Wade
Are They Human? No, They are Prisoners
Sponsored by Professor Adrian Totten, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program
Presented by Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Katie Langan

Dean’s Award for Excellence Student Presentation
Honoree Zach Biron
The Positive Effects of Art Therapy on Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Sponsored by Professor Nava Silton, Psychology
Presented by Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Katie Langan

Writing Program Award
Honoree Rebekah Nilsen
Natural Law and Cosmic Order in King Lear
Sponsored by Professor Mary Ann O’Donnell, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program
Presented by Acting Director of the Academic Writing Program Diana Epelbaum

Student/Faculty Collaboration Award
Honorees Ella Blankinship, Dot Davis, Sonia Halle, Tyler Okun
Uncle Vanya (Original Music Score)
Sponsored by Professor David Mold, Theatre Arts
Presented by Faculty Council President Christine Riley

Alpha Chi Award
Honoree Olivia Bedell
Women in Hindutva: Contributions and Contradictions
Sponsored by Professor Bradley Herling, Religious Studies
Presented by Faculty Advisor Noelle Griffis

Alumni Association Award
Honoree Juliet Hernandez
The Trophic Ecology of Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys Atratulus) in the Bronx River
Sponsored by Professor Matthew Lundquist, Natural Sciences
Presented by Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Academic
Excellence Michael Salmon

Teaching Excellence Award
Presented by Professor Tatiana Serafin on behalf of the Teaching Excellence Committee

Department of History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies Awards
Presented by Professor Lauren Brown

Senior Academic Awards
Presented by Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Katie Langan
Gold Keys
Certificates in the Minor
College Honors Program
Honors in the Major

11:00-12:00 - Student Panel 1
The Judy - 701, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/97974030235

TROUBLES & ISSUES
Moderator: Professor Tatiana Serafin

Isabelle Boysen
Power Dynamic within Human Perspective
Sponsored by Diana Epelbaum, Academic Writing

Winter Harrison
Introversion Within Undergraduate Institutions
Sponsored by Professor Jenny Dixon, Communication & Media Arts

Juliet Hernandez
The Trophic Ecology of Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys Atratulus) in the Bronx River
Sponsored by Matthew Lundquist, Natural Sciences

Joanna Insco
30,000 Youth are Experiencing Homelessness in America - What Can Be Done?
Sponsored by Tatiana Serafin, Communication & Media Arts

Ashleigh Wade
Are They Human? No, They’re Prisoners
Sponsored by Professor Adrian Totten, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

11:00-12:00 - Student Panel 2
The Judy – 702, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/93784377120

CONCEPT ARTISTRY in MULTIMEDIA
Moderator: Professor Angela Paura

Sarah Baxter
Mattea Billi Occhino
Sponsored by Manolo Estavillo, Politics & Human Rights

Chloe Bonaguide
Through the Prism
Sponsored by Professor Manolo Estavillo, Politics & Human Rights

Emma Dias
The Swan
Sponsored by Professor Kenny Finkle, Theater Arts

Collin McElroy
Musical Costume Design Project “Willy Wonka”
Sponsored by Professor Vanessa Leuck, Theatre Arts

Milan Parodie
Racial Threads in the Works of Jordan Peele
Sponsored by Professor Chelsey Barber, Academic Writing

12:00-1:00 - Student Panel 3
Theresa Lang Theatre
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/97974030235

OUTSIDE/INSIDE
Moderators: Professor Bethany Elkin & Tatiana Serafin

LeAnn Armanini
Amari Harris
Vaughn McAdoo
Jessica Nichols
Franiqua Patterson
Devonnee (Pheonix) Wilkerson
Jamie Wilson
The Benefits of College on the Outside and on the Inside
Sponsored by Professor Jane Maher, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

12:00-1:00 - Student Panel 4
The Judy – 702, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/93784377120

WOMEN IN FOCUS
Moderator: Professor Cheryl Paradis

Olivia Bedell
Women in Hindutva: Contributions and Contradictions
Sponsored by Professor Bradley Herling, Religious Studies

Mina Candelario & Misha Puello Brasil
Twins, Triplets and Multiples, Oh My!: Challenges, Risks and Best Practices for Caring for Multiples Sponsored by Professor Nava Silton, Psychology

Cici Cardinal
Autobiographic Solo
Sponsored by Luke Miller, Dance

Kallie Cassidy
Joan Semmel: Singing the Body Electric in Contemporary Art
Sponsored by Professor Adrienne Baxter Bell, Art & Art History

Sophie Decker
Passive Progress: Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies Used by Black Feminist Activists
Sponsored by Professor Adrienne Baxter Bell, Art & Art History

Emily Roche
Autobiographic Solo
Sponsored by Luke Miller, Dance

Roisin Regan
The Weeping Eyes of a Woman
Sponsored by Jason Rosenfeld, Art & Art History

1:00-3:00 - Lunch for Presenters & Sponsors
The Commons East, 3rd Floor Carson Hall

2:00-3:00 - Inductions & PI Day Celebration

Honors Society Inductions
Theresa Lang Theatre

Pi Day Celebration
Carson Hall 612

2:00-3:00 - High Achieving First-Year Students Reception
Regina Peruggi Room, 2nd Floor Carson Hall

3:00-4:00 - Student Panel 5
The Judy – 701, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/97974030235

PSYCHOLOGY & ECOLOGY TODAY
Moderator: Professor Cheryl Paradis

Adeline Atkins
The Effectiveness of Shadowing Tasks on an Individual’s Ability to Memorize a Set of Text
Sponsored by Professor Cindy Mercer, Communication Sciences & Disorders

Morgan Baker
The Nuclear Family
Sponsored by Professor Jamal White, Dance

Zach Biron
The Positive Effects of Art Therapy on Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Sponsored by Professor Nava Silton, Psychology

Lexi George
To Swipe Left or Right: A Phenomenological Study of Dating Apps and
the Difficulties of Creating Meaningful Connections
Sponsored by Jenny Dixon, Communication & Media Arts

Andrew Otoba
To Score, You Must First Believe: A Look at How Football and Religion Serve Humanity
Sponsored by Jenny Dixon, Communication & Media Arts

3:00-4:00 - Student Panel 6
The Judy – 702, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/93784377120

MULTIPLE MEASURES OF MUSIC (or MUSICAL MEASURES)
Moderator: Professor Bethany Elkin

Ella Blankinship, Dot Davis, Sonia Halle, Tyler Okun
Uncle Vanya (Original Music Score)
Sponsored by Professor David Mold, Theatre Arts

Jackie Kearney
I Want My MTV: Using Music Videos to Gauge Public Opinion in 1980s America
Sponsored by Jenny Dixon, Communication & Media Arts

Bella Liberati
I Made You a Playlist: How People Communicate Through Pre-Recorded Music for Personal and Organizational Life
Sponsored by Jenny Dixon, Communication & Media Arts

Lain Walls
One Small Step
Sponsored by Professor Lindsay Timmington, Theatre Arts

Ana Yee
SPONGEBOB: The Musical Costume Design
Sponsored by Professor Vanessa Leuck, Theatre Arts

Olivia Zacchia
SPONGEBOB: The Musical Hair & Makeup Design
Sponsored by Professor Vanessa Leuck, Theatre Arts

4:00-5:00 - Student Panel 7
The Judy – 701, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/97974030235

THE POETRY (…IN MOTION) CORNER
Moderator: Professor Tatiana Serafin

Loretta Curto
A State of Sonic Warfare
Sponsored by Professor Keith Meatto, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

Maryana Kayumova
From Russia to America: My Painful Journey of Self-Acceptance
Sponsored by Professor Keith Meatto, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

Nicholas MacNeil  
Dance of the Lavender
Sponsored by Sarah Wright, Communication & Media Arts

Jennifer Martinez
A Refuge for a Girl: Fugues in Misread Love
Sponsored by Professor Keith Meatto, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

Hennessey Moriarty
Big Jump
Sponsored by Erin Greenwell, Communication & Media Arts

Jerrica Perdue
Living My Life, Pt. 2
Sponsored by Sarah Wright, Communication & Media Arts

Tiona Rodriguez
Endured and Conquered
Sponsored by Suzanne Gardinier, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

4:00-5:00 - Student Panel 8
The Judy – 702, 7th Floor Carson Hall
Zoom link: https://marymount.zoom.us/j/93784377120

INTERPRETATION – EMBRACING AUTHENTICITY
Moderator: Professor Angela Paura

Liam Gallagher
Radically Reinventing Realism: Edgar Degas’s Depictions of Male Vulnerability
Through the Union of Classical and Realist Styles
Sponsored by Professor Adrienne Baxter Bell, Art & Art History

Francesca Chiara Giovannetti
Manet’s Gaze: Artistic Unravelling of Socio-Psychological Shifts in Nineteenth Century Paris

Sponsored by Professor Adrienne Baxter Bell, Art & Art History
Bex Jones
Ignorance = Fear: The Continued Mistreatment of the Queer Body in the United States
Sponsored by Professor Adrienne Baxter Bell, Art & Art History

Rebekah Nilsen
Natural Law and Cosmic Order in King Lear
Sponsored by Mary Ann O’Donnell, Bedford Hills & Taconic College Program

Kylee Simpson
The Constraints of Culture (The Blending of Transculturation, Transculturality, & Transpropriation)
Sponsored by Professor Erin O’Connor, Politics & Human Rights

Avery Thomas
Genderqueer Twelfth Night
Sponsored by Kenny Finkle, Theatre Arts