URCA Assistant & Faculty Awards
Congratulations to the winners of the Fall 2024 URCA Assistant Program Awards!
URCA Research Mentor of the Semester Awards
Dr. Sarah Conoyer, Department of Psychology
Nominated by: Laci Pigg, Eva Woodfall, Payton Bowling, Charlotte Prior, Leighann Nottke, and Madelyn Grotefendt
Nomination:
"Dr. Conoyer is an outstanding mentor. We have gained knowledge in various areas throughout our research lab experience in 491. Dr. Conoyer is the primary director and supervisor o Partnerships in Academic and Community Engagement (PACE), a community resource that supports students’ academic growth, which started last fall. Before we could go directly to schools, we prepared by reading materials regarding CBMs and other key topics essential for success in PACE. Many of us undergraduates in her research lab aspire to become school psychologists, and participating in PACE has been a unique, unforgettable experience. This program offers hands-on work, allowing us to learn visually by interacting with students and observing how school interventions are implemented. Dr. Conoyer builds connections with the students at all schools and assists the graduate assistants, graduate students, and undergraduates involved in the program. Personally, many of us love how she comes to the schools to help guide and encourage us when working with the students. Dr. Conoyer is constantly engaged in her work, and we admire her.
We’ve also gained valuable insights into SPSS, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, which plays a vital role for psychology majors. Learning to navigate and master this tool is crucial for data analysis, especially for psychology students, who must conduct research throughout their academic years. We were assigned to clean up data in Excel and prepare it for SPSS. After getting it ready, we conducted analyses. Dr. Conoyer guided us through every step to ensure we could perform these tasks independently. Once we got the results, she asked us to write up a method and result section for practice, where she graded and gave us advice to improve our writing. As psychology undergraduates, we find SPSS to be a challenging task. However, Dr. Conoyer taught us how to navigate SPSS thoroughly and gave us practice writing research sections, which helped tremendously. I now feel I am more prepared to perform analyses on SPSS and write relevant sections of a research paper.
There are also a few undergraduates in our lab who are helping graduate students with their projects. As undergraduates, they are learning how to find research articles regarding specific topics, which is particularly helpful for psychology majors who must conduct research. Most recently, we have been doing article discussions where we come prepared to talk about articles. This is to help any students who want to pursue graduate school since article discussions are assignments that are expected in graduate school. While it is many of our senior years when we are applying to graduate schools, it can be very stressful and challenging to manage class work and learn how to apply to schools accurately because many of us do not know where to start.
Dr. Conoyer has lent a hand regarding graduate school and the process. Her support during graduate applications has been invaluable; she always makes time to answer our questions and review our work, despite her busy schedule, easing the stress of this challenging process. Overall, being a student in Dr. Conoyer’s lab is a rewarding experience because she provides us with many learning opportunities. Anyone who knows her would agree that she sincerely cares about her students’ success. She is always ready to provide guidance and support to her students, whether by staying after lab hours to answer questions or simply being there when one of the students needs her support. All of us undergraduates have learned important information from Dr. Conoyer that will benefit us, whether now or in the future. She is simply one of the best mentors, and we hope other students get the chance to learn from her!"
About her Research:
"My research focuses in improving academic outcomes for students with limited skills in areas like reading and mathematics. My scholarly mission is to assist educators and school psychologists in training to better identify students needing additional support and efficient ways to improve K-12 student skills. Students in my URCA experience assist with, the Partnerships for Academic and Community Engagement (PACE) Scholars Program. A collaboration between Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 and the SIUE Attention and Behavior Clinic, PACE sessions happen before or after school twice a week during the semester to help elementary students build a strong foundation in math by providing personalized practice. This project focuses on looking at how school psychology graduate students’ skills change in the area of consultation, academic screening, intervention, and using data to evaluate outcomes. SIUE URCA students get to assist school psychology graduate students with implementation of the program to either an individual elementary student or a small group. Specifically, we work with 4th and 5th graders in the four local intermediate schools to provide brief mathematics skill building support in multiplication and division. They also conduct brief behavior observations and support positive behavior during sessions. This experience allows them to gain insight into working in schools and to see how data is used in applied setting to help others."
URCA Creative Mentor of the Semester Award
Mr. Thad Duhigg, Department of Art and Design
Nominated by: Josie Woodrome
Nomination:
"Before knowing what an URCA was or that I could be one, I knew I wanted to work with Thad Duhigg after taking his Intro to Sculpture class and decided to apply to be a Sculpture major. Thad approaches each one of his students and their work with a level of engagement and interest that is rare in a higher education setting; and his passion for art, life, and teaching is apparent the moment you meet him. So, when Thad asked me to be his URCA, I knew it was an opportunity I could not turn down.
When Thad asked me to be his URCA, I knew it was an opportunity I could not turn down. Thad shared that his goal for his sabbatical was to create four new pieces out of bronze by the process of modeling and casting. During our time, Thad has begun modeling over six new pieces, each one just as profound and exciting in its concept and form. The main piece that we are working to finish is Boom, a three-foot-tall sculpture of a mushroom cloud that Thad has been modeling for the last few years. One of my tasks has been to help him put on a rubber mold and cast it. Before my URCA experience, I had never created such a large, complex rubber mold, but Thad has been an excellent mentor, explaining each step patiently and thoroughly, making it feel like this is something I have done a thousand times. Just this week, we were working on gating another one of his pieces, a step to prepare for casting, something I have minimal experience with. He encouraged me to try it after watching him. Thad let me do it myself, and when I was disappointed with my results, he was nothing but kind in correcting my mistakes and replying, “It’s okay, that’s how you learn.” Thad’s approach to independent experimentation and learning, with support, has made me feel more confident than ever in my artistic skills.
Thad embraces the URCA position as the learning experience it is, making me feel heard throughout the process by inviting me to share my opinions on his pieces both aesthetically and conceptually. He answers every question and comment thoughtfully, sharing his invaluable opinions and experiences from his time as a student, professor and professional artist. Coming to art school, becoming a professional artist felt like a pipe dream, but working with Thad and seeing his knowledge, passion, hard work, and persistence firsthand, has reminded me what I am working towards and the knowledge I have left to gain.
Every single day, Thad shows up ready to work hard and holds himself to a professional and personal standard that is nothing short of admirable. He greets challenges with enthusiasm, perseveres through failures, and is constantly pushing himself and others to be the best they can. My time so far with Thad as his URCA has been extremely valuable, sharpening my sculptural and artistic skills, as well as improving my confidence and knowledge. Writing only one page about how great Thad Duhigg is has proven to be a challenge within itself, and I have no doubt that he is more than deserving of the award for Outstanding Work as an URCA Mentor."
About his Work:
"My work explores sculptural landscapes that both evoke and subvert the ideals of nineteenth-century Western sculpture. While traditional Western landscapes often center on the bucolic, my pieces use traditional materials—such as bronze—and processes, including casting, clay modeling, and plaster work, to engage with pressing global issues like genetically modified foods, terrorism, and climate change. In contrast to the idealized, harmonious landscapes of the past, my sculptures intentionally omit figures, creating a void that reflects an empty, barren space where hope once existed.
In addition, this semester I am experimenting with 3D printing to hybridize new and old sculptural processes. I am drawn to this digital technology not just for its novelty, but for its thematic potential. By merging traditional materiality with digital fabrication, I aim to explore the ways in which technology both transforms and disrupts the earth, traditional ways of life, and the processes of making itself."
URCA Research Assistants of the Semester Awards
Dirk III Tescion, Department of Nursing
Nominated by: Ms. Annie Imboden
Nomination:
"Dirk Tecson has been a great asset to me as an undergraduate research and creative activities (URCA) assistant. As a URCA, Dirk has assisted me to collect and analyze data for a research project about childhood obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was self-taught on two different electronic medical records at my clinic and learned how to run reports to gather data on over 10,000 patient records. Of note, most of the staff in my clinic have not attained this skill level. He has reached intermediate or better proficiency in Microsoft Excel. He keeps impeccably organized spreadsheets of data including subgroup analysis. Recently, while working on the research with the SIUE Center for Predictive Analytics, Mr. Tecson received accolades from Dr. Butts-Wilmsmeyer about the impeccable state of our data. Dirk is intelligent and makes valuable suggestions that support my research. For example, he has been able to understand how the social determinants of health influence results. He has suggested that gathering additional data points might strengthen our analysis and avoid bias. Dirk presented our research at the SIUE Undergraduate Scholars Showcase in the Spring and did an excellent job creating a professional poster. Most recently we received acceptance to present the project at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Annual Conference in Chicago, which is a prestigious organization in our field. We are also working on a manuscript witha goal to submit for publication next semester.
I trust Mr. Tecson to complete tasks in a quality manner with minimal instruction. He is self-directed and is great at checking in with meregularly to request additional tasks. He is prompt with his replies, stays on top of tasks, and assists with problem-solving. He has requested to be involved in additional projects and has a strong drive to produce scholarly projects and further his education and research endeavors. I have had severalgraduate and undergraduate research assistants in the past. Dirk has exceeded expectations as an undergraduate research assistant and has performedbetter than most doctoral graduate students that I have worked with. He is intelligent, goal-oriented, and a pleasure to work with. I am confident he willsucceed in his academic and career goals."
URCA Creative Assistants of the Semester Awards
Hannah Weck, Department of Art and Design
Nominated by: Mr. Brigham Dimick
Nomination:
"I enthusiastically put forward this letter in hopes that Hannah Weck will be considered for the Fall 2024 URCA Creative Activities based assistant. I truly could not ask for an URCA student to bring more skill, focus, capacity to engaged in complex orders of operation, and intellectual curiosity.
As my studio assistant, I trust Hannah completely to paint directly on my large-scale pictures with me. She displays an uncanny aptitude for unpacking complex orders of operation, and implements my plan tirelessly, never waning in her focus. She has a sharp mind and is determined to learn rapidly. Though very humble, she has a unusual aptitude to analyze the gaps between my complex goals and her understanding and then put those insights into practice. The combination of her curiosity and desire to be of service has resulted in her capacity to frame questions in a very considered manner. She applies my responses to those questions into practice with efficiency and clarity.
Hannah was home schooled in a family dedicated to education and scientific inquiry. She has a robust love of learning and a high level of self-accountability to ensure there is a dynamic synergy between research and implementation.
Because I had to mount a large exhibition of my work in late September at the Sheldon Art Galleries in St. Louis, Hannah spent eight hours on a Saturday packing work, loading it into a van, and helping install an installation at the gallery. Because she has another job and a heavy load of classes this term, it was quite an act of generosity on her part to do so.
As a person, Hannah is very personable and mature. She is a consummate team player and generous in her contributions. I have been blessed with many excellent URCA assistants and Hannah is clearly equal to the best I have had."
