Published April 11, 2022
ULM Honors Program students attended the Southern Regional Honors Council in Birmingham,
AL. Pictured, from left, are Michael Hollman, Ariana Yelverton, Blaine Warren (back),
Uchechi Owunna, Nautica Jones, and Emmanuel Perez. Not pictured is Alisha Lirette.
Courtesy photo
The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program joined the annual meeting of the
Southern Regional Honors Council on March 31-April 2 in Birmingham, AL.
Joshua Stockley, Ph.D., Director of the ULM Honors Program, was accompanied by eight
students – Emmanuel Perez, senior biology major; Michael Hollman, senior mathematics
major; Caitlyn Cullen, junior political science major; Uchechi Owunna, senior toxicology
major; Nautica Jones, senior biology major; Alisha Lirette, senior biology major;
Blaine Warren, senior political science major; and Ariana Yelverton, senior biology
major.
Seven of these students presented research.
Attending the conference were honors students and administrators from colleges and
universities across the southern region of the United States.
"Our honors students received tremendous accolades and positive feedback for their
research," Stockley said. "They created connections with students and administrators
from other universities and represented the university and the ULM Honors Program
well. I am so proud of them."
Owunna presented "Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 1,3-Diarylpyrazoles: in vitro
Cytotoxicity Studies on Melanoma Cancer Cells."
"I thoroughly enjoyed attending the different presentations of not only STEM-related
research work but also the work of other students in the social sciences field. My
understanding of the social issues and the political system in the United States of
America has been expanded," Owunna said.
Perez shared the "Effectiveness of Stress Reduction Interventions in College Students
During Finals Week." Perez felt that this experience expanded his knowledge that he
could take past his undergraduate time.
"Through the ULM Honors Program Thesis, I was able to express my creativity and challenge
my intellect beyond the classroom. SRHC provided me with a platform to humbly share
my research endeavor with various Honors students from around the southern region,"
Perez said.
Lirette presented "One Night Without a Home."
Yelverton presented "Effectiveness of Aromatherapy Scents in Reducing Canine Stress
in a Veterinary Setting." Yelverton enjoyed meeting other students within the Southern
region.
"I enjoyed SRHC because it allowed me to share my thesis research and hear scholarly
feedback from my colleagues. I was also able to create connections with seniors from
other honors programs across the South and be inspired by their research," Yelverton
said.
Jones presented "Saving Louisiana's Last Chenier."
"I am grateful for the experience to attend and present at SRHC. It was an unparalleled
opportunity for networking and professional development," Jones said.
Warren presented "The Effects of Political Corruption in Contemporary Louisiana."
He felt supported in his endeavors by many in the ULM community.
"I had the help of many wonderful people, one of whom was my thesis adviser, Dr. Dumas,
who prepared me for a professional conference setting," Warren said. "I learned so
much, and I met so many people to collaborate and share data to further my research."
Hollman presented "An Investigation into the Relationship between Louisiana Community
Banks‚ Lending Practices and Profitability." Hollman appreciated the opportunity to
contribute and was inspired by his peers' research.
"I had never been to an honors program conference before, so I wasn't sure what to
expect going in. I thought my presentation would be the highlight of the trip; however,
the congregation of so many ambitious and curious minds led to an amazing experience
throughout my entire time at the conference," Hollman said.
Cullen did not present but still learned much from her experience, including how to
develop a thesis.
"SRHC allowed me to gain insight into peer research and the development of a thesis,"
Cullen said. "I was given an opportunity to see how a question evolves into a student-led
research project with the help of mentors, fellow students, and campus resources."
The Southern Regional Honors Council is an educational organization that promotes
and advances Honors Programs and Honors Colleges in the southern United States. SRHC
currently comprises more than 100 member institutions, hosts an annual conference,
publishes a literary arts journal, Sanctuary, and provides a variety of grants to support student efforts to engage in NCHC-sponsored
experiential learning and leadership in honors organizations.
About the ULM Honors Program
The ULM Honors Program is a unique program within ULM that seeks intellectually curious
students who desire to challenge themselves with new ideas and work with similarly
motivated students. The program is open to all majors and works within all degree
programs. Honors students are exposed to more in-depth topics and work closely with
faculty in smaller courses.
For more information about the Honors Program, contact Dr. Joshua Stockley at stockley@ulm.edu or 318-342-3216 or visit ulm.edu/honors.
