Students present research, help host conference

Students presented research and helped the University of North Georgia (UNG) host the Conference on the Americas from Feb. 20-21 at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

UNG's College of Arts & Letters and Mike Cottrell College of Business partnered to host the conference. The Americas Council of the University System of Georgia (USG) sponsors the event, and it includes faculty members of UNG, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University Perimeter College, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Georgia Gwinnett College, and the University of West Georgia.

About 90 students, faculty and staff from across the USG presented at the conference.

David Park, a senior from Harlem, Georgia, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese language and literature, is a member of UNG's Chinese Language Flagship. He presented his research on Peruvian culture and identity through astronomy at the conference.

"It was my first time presenting at a conference, and I was nervous. But the experience was pretty good," Park said. "I was able to meet a lot of people in a variety of academic fields."

Anna Mathis, a senior from Bogart, Georgia, pursuing a degree in English with a literature concentration, shared her research on the novel "100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez. Mathis, who plans to start UNG's Master of Arts in Teaching this fall, said being part of the conference was an enjoyable milestone.

"Events like this allow undergraduate students like us to gain conference experience without being a doctoral candidate," Mathis said.

Other presentations by students or alumni included:

• "Where the 'First World' falls behind: An intersectional comparative study of discourse surrounding violence against women in the U.S. and Mexico," Brianna Litz.
• "Improving Spanish-language access to women's heart health resources through UX and engagement analysis," Aidan Pavlich.
• "Colombia’s comparative defense," Nicolas Zamudio.

Jessy Martinez, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a Spanish language and literature concentration, serves as president of UNG's Spanish Club and volunteered at the conference.

"I wanted to get hands-on experience. This was a way to give back to the school and the department and everyone else who was at the conference," Martinez said. "It was good being able to hear about everyone's work and seeing how involved they are with the current issues of Latin America. I was able to learn new things."

Madeira Speligene, a junior from Garvin, Oklahoma, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a Spanish language and literature concentration and a minor in criminal justice, is the vice president of the Spanish Club and also volunteered at the conference.

"The conference was a good way to meet people from other universities," Speligene said. "I developed deeper relationships. I also learned so much from the professors and students who had developed all of this research."

UNG faculty members Dr. Alvaro Torres-Calderon, associate department head and associate professor of Modern Languages; Dr. Kristi Hislope, department head of Modern Languages and professor of Spanish; Dr. Donna Danns, professor of economics; Dr. George Danns, professor of sociology; and Maria Jose Maguire, lecturer of Spanish, served as program chairs for the conference.

"As co-chair, I've had the privilege of witnessing this conference continue to serve as a vibrant space for dialogue and discovery. The exchange of ideas here truly captures the richness of the Americas," Torres-Calderon said. "With participation from over 20 universities across Georgia, the United States and internationally, alongside strong engagement from UNG faculty and students, this conference reflects our global commitment and strengthens UNG's presence statewide and beyond. I'm grateful to everyone who contributed to making it such a meaningful experience."