Southern Connecticut State University hosted its annual First-Year Research and Artistry Experience (FYRE) this fall, featuring poster presentations and creative work from students across academic divisions. The week-long event concluded with several awards recognizing outstanding projects and contributions from first-year students.

FYRE Award Winners

Division of Research and Innovation FYRE Award

• Kit Alvarez and Bella Clericuzio, Zinc Sunscreen and Long Island Sound
• Anna Stone, The Effect of Dance on the Mental Health of College Students

FYRE Art and Design Award

• Kai Brown, for artwork associated with The Effect of Creative Activities on Brain Function in Young Adults

Excellence in Research on Student Success Beyond the Classroom

• Lorelay Cabrera and Melissa Rodriguez, Beyond One Culture
• Allyanna Metellus, Breaking the Silence
• Adriana Farfan and Teressa Montanez, An Analysis of the Impact of Financial Struggles on SCSU Students’ Mental Health and Productivity

Dean’s Choice Awards

• Business: Jahkylen Arroyo, Miles Donegan, K-Lee-Anna Kidd and Eric Marowa — Eco-Friendly Desk Organizer
• Education: Ivanka Daley — Embracing Every Voice: Cultural Inclusivity in Higher Education
• Health and Human Services: Ellie Baker, Lexi Dominguez and Jade Ventura — The Effectiveness of Male Versus Female Coaches in College Swimming and Diving
• STEM and Behavioral and Social Sciences: Emily DaSilva — The Impact of Poster Design on Hygiene Communication
• Arts and Humanities: Kent Freeman — The Effects of Urban Renewal: Does Earl Hall Need to Be Changed?

2025 Provost’s FYRE Research Fellowship Award

• Kit Alvarez and Bella Clericuzio, Zinc Sunscreen and Long Island Sound

President’s Owl Spirit Award

• Allison and Amera Akumah, recognized for their perseverance and the completion of FYRE projects honoring their mother

Poster and Artistry Highlights

FYRE featured presentations across Arts and Humanities, Health and Human Services, Business, Education, STEM, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, along with a wide-ranging Artistry showcase. All presentations from the 2026 FYRE program are listed below.

POSTERS — ARTS AND HUMANITIES

• The Strong Black Woman — Jaylynn Nero
• Digital Grieving — Sophia Santos
• Familiar Words, Different Leaders — Cameron Lafo
• Visual Storytelling Mediums: Resonation and Value — Zara Pasha
• Housing Averages in New Haven — Israel D’Andrade and Trevor Dixon
• Reading as Resistance: How Reading Challenges Oppression — Hamid Ibrahimee
• The Effects of Urban Renewal: Does Earl Hall Need to Be Changed? — Kent Freeman
• Beyond One Culture — Lorelay Cabrera and Melissa Rodriguez
• Balancing Family Expectations and Educational Dreams: Immigrant First-Generation Students at SCSU — Viviana Chinachi
• Trauma, Housing, and Inequality: Historical Roots of New Haven’s Elevated Mental Health Disorder Rates — Akeelah McIntosh

POSTERS — HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

• Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Care — Zarina Qayoumi
• The Body Remembers — Ariana Rivera
• The Effectiveness of Male Versus Female Coaches in College Swimming and Diving — Ellie Baker, Lexi Dominguez and Jade Ventura
• Effect of Limited Ankle Dorsiflexion on Female Distance Runners’ Form — Emmalee Harbert, Jaxson Koczur, Carina Rivera and Anna Wayne
• Connecticut’s Continuum of Care — Megan Klein, Olivia Markaj and Adalila Rodriguez

POSTERS — BUSINESS

• Record Labels in the Modern World — Erika Gonzalez, Kai Krieger and Colton Sallum
• Eco-Friendly Desk Organizer — Jahkylen Arroyo, Myles Donegan, K-Lee-Anna Kidd and Eric Marowa

POSTERS — EDUCATION

• An Analysis on the Impact of Financial Struggles on SCSU Students’ Mental Health and Productivity — Adriana Farfan and Teressa Montanez
• The Effect of Smiling on Students’ Sense of Belonging — Safya Chatak and Lexi Solberg
• AI in Academia: How ChatGPT Influences SCSU — Kiara Byrnes
• Difference of Commuter and Residents Mental Health — Nathan Fauteux, Landon Pelletier, Adrian Sukalic and Paige Thomas
• Turning Every Challenge into a Chapter: The Story of Student Parents — Joel Santiago
• Embracing Every Voice: Cultural Inclusivity in Higher Education — Ivanka Daley
• The Power of Pain and Joy in College Learning — Kawsar Habib

POSTERS — STEM AND SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

• Breaking the Silence — Allyanna Metellus
• Zinc Sunscreen and Long Island Sound — Kit Alvarez and Bella Clericuzio
• The Impact of Poster Design on Hygiene Communication — Emily DaSilva
• Effect of Creative Activities on Brain Function in Young Adults — Kai Brown
• The Islamic Experience in America Through a Connecticut Lens — Laila Zekaroui
• Generational Differences in Learning Styles — Alana Martinez
• Interpersonal/Relational Development & Happiness — Zemirah Theophile
• The Effect of Dance on the Mental Health of College Students — Anna Stone
• Creativity vs. Logic: How It Shapes Thought & Expression — Clara Albert

ARTISTRY

• Untitled (Video Montage) — Karmen Pilgrim
• The Islamic Experience in America Through a Connecticut Lens (Digital Art) — Laila Zekaroui
• Effect of Creative Activities on Brain Function in Young Adults (Podcast) — Kai Brown
• Human Caring Assignment – Poem — Drina Bosquet
• How Young Adults Can Critically Diversify and Verify Information (Podcast) — Keimora Simpson
• Change (Song) — Zodi Okeke
• Neurographic Art (Drawing) — Nicole Quezada
• A Divided Heart (Digital Art) — Kaitlyn Diaz
• Alone vs. Together (Poem) — Emilsa Morava
• Charcoal Drawing — Savannah Harrold
• Animal Testing (Paper Art) — Rapture Layton