At the close of each fall semester, a vibrant buzz fills the hallways of Engleman Hall when the annual First-Year Research and Artistry Experience (FYRE) gives first-year students the chance to present their work from their first semester in college.
This fall’s FYRE, in full swing in early December, was a week-long showcase of creativity, innovation, and exploration from the Southern’s first-year students. This year’s event, themed “Igniting Curiosity,” spotlighted groundbreaking ideas across Arts and Humanities, Health and Human Services, Business and Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and STEM. All students were commended for the high caliber of their projects, and several students were recognized for their work with awards presented at a ceremony that closed FYRE.
Congratulations to all award winners:
Celina Caicedo: “Why Women Succeed in College”
Anthony Oquendo and Abigail Martinez: “The Effectiveness of Gun Control Protocols in the School System”
Uliana Pokutnia: “Impact of Injuries on Student Athletes’ Mental Health”
Kaede Young: “Exploration of Veteran Services at SCSU”
Aliyah Robinson: “Cultural Appropriation and the Lack of Education about Black People and Braids”
Alyssa Longo: “Zero-Waste Lifestyle”
Joe Bradford: “Secondhand Surge: The New Rules of Fashion”
Sofia Andrade-Ciriaco, Melissa Erazo, and Vaughn Keeney: “Brand Loyalty Among College Students”
Armando David Garcia Morales: “Social Support Among ESL Students”
Erika Triburcio: “Spiritual Practices and Quality of Life”
Melanie Hernandez and Rachel Ravi: “Medical Errors”
Gioia Miller: “The Political Effect of Racial Rhetoric”
Peter Demasi, Kaitlyn Lastella, and Zunera Raza: “How Does the Tempo of the Song You Wake Up to Affect Your Productivity in the Morning?”
Rosie Dumarsais: “Influencers and Impulses”
Jason Cantave: “The Impact of Bias in Artificial Intelligence”
Xui Davis: “Wandering Through Photographs”
Rowan Dillon, Aidan Lanciault, and Tyler Tortora: “Effect of Resistance and Plyometric Training Programs on Peak Power Athletes”
See below for a full list of presentations.
ARTISTRY
- La Madre Tierra
Zine
Celina Caicedo, Business Management
Faculty: Nicole Henderson and Tina Re - Creative Blooms
Sculpture
Megan Herrera, Studio Art
Faculty: Shelley Stoehr-McCarthy - Wandering in Photographs
FYRE Poster Redesign & Photo Collage
Xui Davis, Studio Art – Photography
Faculty: Nicole Henderson - Treasure All Types
Video Commercial
Marlicia Ramos Martins, Business Economics
Faculty: Colleen Bielitz - Overdose
Memorial to a Friend
Kaely Dannehy, Social Work
Faculty: Ebonee Brown - Fashion Overconsumption
Collage
Ella Saranich, Business Marketing
Faculty: Dawn Cathey - Where I’m From
Zine
Taron Blount, Health Sciences
Faculty: Nicole Henderson and Tina Re
POSTERS — HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
- Voices Unheard: Racism at the Door
Eloisa Alves, Exploratory: Health and Human Services
Faculty: Debra Risisky - Medical Errors
Melanie Hernandez, Healthcare Studies
Rachel Ravi, Healthcare Studies
Faculty: James MacGregor - Food Options for Students with Eating Restrictions
Sammi Atkinson, Nursing
Emily Tuczapski, Nursing
Faculty: Amy Johnson - Direct Admit Nursing Students and Peer-Support at SCSU
Gabby Chrostowski, Nursing
Victoria Coleman, Nursing
Steven Passas, Nursing
Faculty: Amy Johnson - Burnout in Nursing
Marisella Martinez, Nursing
James Novicio, Nursing
Faculty: Britt Conroy - Spiritual Practices and Quality of Life
Erika Tiburcio, Healthcare Studies
Faculty: Angela Ruggiero - Impact of Injuries on Student-Athletes’ Mental Health
Uliana Pokutnia, Finance
Faculty: Alyssa Santiago - The Social and Emotional Challenges of Early Childhood and Effects on Athletes and Non-Athletes
Sofia Frassinelli, Political Science
Reina Loiacano, Pre-Elementary Education
Faculty: Margot Schilpp - Effect of Resistance and Plyometric Training Programs on Peak Power in Athletes
Rowan Dillon, Exercise and Sport Science
Aidan Lanciault, Exercise and Sport Science
Tyler Tortora, Exercise and Sport Science
Faculty: Gary Morin
POSTERS — ARTS AND HUMANITIES
- I Am Not Who You Say I Am
Noelie Jeudi, Political Science
Faculty: Sobeira Latorre - High School as the Oldest Daughter
Agatha Lima-Freitas, Communication, Media, and Screen Studies
Faculty: Andrew Parzyck - The Art of Decision Making
Sophia Merkulov, Psychology
Faculty: Giuseppina Palma - Media & Creativity
Ariana Prenaj, Marketing
Faculty: Shelley Stoehr-McCarthy - Language and Identity
Tuva Thulin, Sport Management
Faculty: Esteban Garcia - The Ritual of Execution
Casey Elliott, History
Faculty: Thomas Radice - How Does the Tempo of the Song You Wake Up to Affect Your Productivity in the Morning?
Peter Demasi, Environmental Systems and Sustainability
Kaitlyn Lastella, Social Work
Zunera Raza, English
Faculty: Waltzer Stutzman
POSTERS — BUSINESS
- Zero-Waste Lifestyle
Alyssa Longo, Environmental Systems and Sustainability
Faculty: Noelle King - Secondhand Surge: The New Rules of Fashion
Joe Bradford, Environmental Systems and Sustainability
Faculty: Noelle King - Impact of Budgeting on Financial Peace of Mind
Kendra Cameron, Biology
Megan Connolly, Biology
Faculty: Nina Cote - Brand Loyalty Among College Students
Sofia Andrade-Ciriaco, Business Information Systems
Melissa Erazo, Political Science
Vaughn Keeney, Pre-Elementary Education
Faculty: Isabel McEachern
POSTERS — EDUCATION
- Classroom Incentives
Kiley Nolan, Physical Education
Faculty: Angela Todaro - The Effectiveness of Gun Control Protocols in the School System
Anthony Oquendo, Physics
Abigail Martinez, Public Health
Faculty: Jesse Gleason and Sean Grace - Technological Influence on the Daily Life of a College Student: Ditching Small Talk for Small Screens
Tai Bellamy, Healthcare Studies
Faculty: Wendy Hardenber - Reasons Why Women Succeed in College
Celina Caicedo, Management
Faculty: Nicole Henderson - Parking Safety at Southern
Helena Gendreau, Psychology
Faculty: Tayler Page - Social Support Among ESL Students
Armando David García Morales, Biology
Faculty: Javon Noblin - Exploration of Veteran Services at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)
Kaede Young, Nursing
Faculty: Amy Johnson
POSTERS — STEM
- Culture & Scientific Views
Jessica Gerckens, Biology
Jhonae Wallace, Biology
Faculty: Winnie Yu Ng - The Impact of Bias in Artificial Intelligence
Jason Cantave, Computer Science
Faculty: Klay Kruczek - Overclocking: Finding the Max Potential of Computer Chips
Zachary Ramalheira, Computer Science
Faculty: Christine Broadbridge - Southern and Solar
Ethan Clark, Physics
Faculty: Christine Broadbridge
POSTERS — SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
- Cultural Appropriation and the Lack of Education about Black People and Braids
Aliyah Robinson, Marketing
Faculty: Dawn Cathey - Why New Haven Students Fall Behind in College Rates
Joe Nham, Chemistry
Faculty: Jason Smith - Committed Relationships and College Transitions
Mackenzie Benevides, Exploratory
Faculty: Dawn Cathey - The Political Effect of Racial Rhetoric
Gioia Miller, Communication Disorders
Faculty: Giuseppina Palma - Impact on Self-Esteem Through Beauty Standards in Social Media
Camila Letriz, Sociology
Faculty: Margot Schilpp
