The Millikin University Undergraduate Fellows Program supports the development of student-faculty partnerships on a variety of academic work. Faculty prepare a proposal for collaboration, then identify students ideally suited to learn and make significant contributions through the partnership. The students receive financial support for this collaborative work throughout the academic year.

Celebration of Research Fellows Showcase 2008

April 25, 2008 • 2:30-3:30pm • SH418

Undergraduate Fellows join in collaborative academic work with faculty or campus administrators. This session showcases the accomplishments and realizations resulting from several these research, teaching and technology development fellowships completed during 2007-2008.

Each participating undergraduate fellow will present his or her final reflections including samples of their work. Undergraduate Fellows presenting at the showcase:
 

David Marlow
"Automating the Scholarship Award Process at Millikin University"

Administrator Partner: Pat Pettit, Director of Information Technology

Abstract: Throughout the year I have been working closely with the Millikin Information Technology Department to automate the Financial Aid process of awarding scholarships. The current award system at Millikin is a manual process that takes days to complete. My research and project reduces this process to minutes, saving time and resources. Through the presentation, you will learn how the decision to automate the process was reached, benefits of automating the system, my role in analyzing and developing code, and the long term benefits of the new process.
 

Natalie Perfetti
"Emotion in Rhetorical Theories and Pedagogical Theories on Teaching Writing"

Faculty Partner: Dr. Peiling Zhao, Assistant Professor of English

Abstract: I worked as Dr. Zhao’s research fellow in the spring and fall of 2007. Over the course of two semesters and 100 hours, this fellowship has benefited me in several ways: by affording me an opportunity to gain knowledge about emotion in rhetorical theories, by providing me occasion to become familiar with research strategies/methods, and subsequently to prepare me for my future as a graduate student and possibly, a professor. I have emerged from this experience with an elevated awareness about the research on pathos/emotion, feminist rhetoric, feminist pedagogy, and more. In addition, I have become adept at utilizing the databases, books, and periodicals at Staley Library as well as the resources available at Interlibrary Loan.
 

Katie Myers-Wiesen
"Reflection and Contemplation"

Faculty Partner: Dr. Carmella Braniger, Director of CWRR

Abstract: My presentation will focus primarily on the idea of spiritual and emotional intelligence. Examples of my work this year will be shown, such as my reflection scrapbook, which is a compilation of ideas and values upon which to reflect. Applied to daily life emotional intelligence cultivates abilities that make for better lanes of communication, empathetic individuals, and stronger relationships.
 

Harley Eades
"Teaching Computer Science Programming to Communicate with GPS Technology"

Faculty Partner: Dr. Michael Rogers, Associate Professor of Computer Science

Abstract: Satellites far above the Earth send messages enabling GPS receivers to determine their location, speed, heading, and much more. GPS technology has found application in numerous fields, including navigation, cartography, commerce, seismology, and agriculture, to name just a few. It even has its uses in the classroom, where it can greatly improve interest in CS I and CS II courses. The goal of my research was to enable beginning computer science students to use GPS technology in lab projects without having to have an intimate understanding of GPS hardware. I made this possible by implementing a GPS class which models a GPS receiver in software. This allows students to be able to communicate with the GPS receiver with little effort. This implementation brings real-life hands-on applications into computer science courses.

2007-2008 Undergraduate Fellows Funded for Faculty:

Dr. Peiling Zhao, Assistant Professor of English

Undergraduate Teaching Fellow has been funded to collaborate with Dr. Zhao as an embedded advanced writing theory tutor in EN310 Applying Writing Theory. The tasks involved in this undergraduate teaching fellowship will be to: 1) work with the faculty to prepare course readings; 2) collaborate with the faculty on designing syllabus; 3) lead class discussions; 4) teach a segment of or the whole class; 4) assist in grading some writing assignments; 5) hold conference with students; 6) collect students’ feedback on the course. 5 hours per week for up to 75 hours for Spring 2008 semester. Student fellow: Natalie Perfetti
 

Sharon Alpi, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship

Undergraduate Writing Fellow has been funded to collaborate with Professor Alpi and Janet Eckles to collaborate on the development of marketing and documentation for the entrepreneurship center including changes to existing or old documentation, or creation of new documentation, such as conference presentations, marketing print collateral, technical publications, reports, and web sites. 6 hours per week for up to 50 hours for each of the three fellows for Spring 2008 semester. Student fellows: Patrick Steadman, Sam Sinkhorn, Kendra Brown
 

Dr. Carmella Braniger, Director of CWRR

Undergraduate Research Fellow in the Scholarship of Reflection, Contemplation and Emotional Intelligence. The undergraduate fellow will collaborate with the faculty member to conduct research on the scholarship of contemplation, reflection and emotional intelligence and its relationship to the students own professional field, be it music, art, science, writing, etc. The fellow will also learn to develop her own practices of contemplation and reflection, and will learn how to use emotional intelligence to guide her personal and professional growth. 25 hours for Fall 2007 semester. Student fellow: Katie Myers-Wiesen.
 

Pat Pettit, Director of Information Technology

Undergraduate technology fellow to help eliminate the Microsoft Access department databases and re-write the reports to pull data directly from the central university database (Banner) tables, thus eliminating the need to store data separately. 100 hours for Fall 2007 semester but can continue into Spring 2008 semester if all 50 hours are not used in the Fall. 100 hours max. Student fellow: Dave Marlowe.
 

Michael Rogers, Associate Professor of Computer Science

Undergraduate research/writing fellow to help develop teaching modules for Computer Science courses related to employing different programming languages to communicate with GPS technology. 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester but can continue into Spring 2008 semester if all 50 hours are not used in the Fall. 50 hours max. Student Fellow: Harley Eades.
 

Brian Justison, Associate Professor of Music

Undergraduate research/writing fellow to help compile and sequence the technique exercises that I have created over my nineteen years as a teacher at Millikin. The fellow and Professor Justison will also collaborate to compose several original developmental etudes and include detailed analysis of technical matters relative to the skill. The review committee was especially supportive of this collaboration to compose new exercises, which takes the goals of the fellowship beyond providing publishing opportunities and help for the professor. 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester but can continue into Spring 2008 semester if all 50 hours are not used in the Fall. 50 hours max. Student Fellow: Rachel Weiss.
 

Josh Hayes, Director of Academic Development

Undergraduate First Year Experience fellow to (1) conduct an environmental scan of the FYE websites of peer and aspiration institutions to determine best practices and to inform a FYE web strategy for Millikin, (2) create a FYE website that can used for internal and external marketing purposes, and (3) conduct a series of focus group studies with current first-year students, collecting and analyzing qualitative data that can be used to increase institutional understanding of the Millikin FYE. 50 hours funded for use over the two semester, Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 as best fits the project. 50 hours max. Student Fellow: Danielle Edmonson.
 

Kevin Long, Artist in Residence, Music-Theatre

Undergraduate technology fellow to help the Theatre department to organize data and access to musical theatre scores and scripts available on campus. 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester but can continue into Spring 2008 semester if all 50 hours are not used in the Fall. 50 hours max. Student Fellow: Amy Musser.
 

Jana Henry, Chair of Theatre Department

Undergraduate technology fellow to help the Theatre department develop ways in which it catalogues, archives, and makes its resources inventory available to faculty, students, and its off-campus constituencies. The goal is developmental, not operational. 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester only. Student Fellow: Samantha Dillon
 

Laura Ledford, Chair of Theatre Department

Undergraduate Administrative Fellow to help the Theatre department improve its practices in accounting and budgeting. Accounting and budget management in this department is more complex than in other academic units, given the nature and frequency of purchasing for productions, shop maintenance and supplies, and instructional supplies. The goal is to develop good systems but not to be the staff member providing the resulting ongoing operations. To quote one reviewer: "The fellows program shouldn't be in the business of providing day-to-day "staffing" needs for the university." 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester. 25 hours for the Spring 2008 semester if further development is needed. Student Fellow: Josh Harris.
 

Dr. Keiko Ono, Assistant Professor of Political Science

Undergraduate technology fellow to help develop, maintain, and update a campaign 2008 web portal in the fall of 2007. The website will be a "one-stop" portal for all things related to the 2008 presidential campaign for Millikin and the surrounding communities. Fellow is funded for 2-3 hours per week, both fall 2007 & spring 2008 semesters. These hours could be split by two fellows. Maximum of 50 hours per semester. Student Fellow: Jim Thompson.
 

Dr. Ngozi Onuora, Instructor of Education

Undergraduate technology teaching fellow to assist in the development and tutoring in an honors seminar about video production of documentaries. 50 hours for the Spring 2007 semester. 50 hours for Fall 2007 semester.
 

Ed Walker, Associate Professor of Art

Undergraduate writing, research and design fellow to become a collaborative partner in development of a major retrospective art exhibit and scholarly catalog focusing on "Millikin Artists of Renown and Their Contribution to the Decatur Community". 20 hours for the Spring 2007 semester
30 hours for Fall 2007 semester. 50 hours for the Spring 2008 semester. Student Fellow: Kristen Kearns.
 

Dr. Peiling Zhao, Assistant Professor of English

Undergraduate Research Fellow in the Scholarship of the Teaching of Writing has been funded to collaborate with Dr. Zhao on research about emotion in rhetorical theories, composing theories, and pedagogical theories on teaching writing. 50 hours for Spring 2007 semester. 50 hours for the Fall 2007 semester. Student fellow: Natalie Perfetti