Psychology & Neuroscience SMP Poster Presentations, May 5

Please join the Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Program for the Spring 2026 St. Mary's Project Poster Presentations. All presentations will be on Tuesday, April 29 in the MPOBARC.  

9:00 am - 10:30 am

• Julia Gaevsky: Living With ADHD: How College Students Approach Treatment for Their Diagnosis (mentor: Dr. Vicky Müller Ewald) * NEUR
• Timothy Gross: Biological Differences of Pediatric and Adult Ependymomas (mentor: Dr. Liz Leininger) * NEUR
• Nicholas Haylock: Playing Video Games can Help You Get a Job? Creativity Through Video Games (mentor: Dr. James Mantell)       
• Sofia Lopez: Modifiable Lifestyle Factors in Alzheimer’s Risk (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis) * NEUR       
• Antonio Lumezi: Addressing ADHD Symptoms with a Game-Adjacent Product (mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman)        
• Victoria Mathis: Effects of Ginsenoside Rb1 on Methamphetamine-Seeking Behaviors in Rats  (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis)        
• Melina Mendez: The Title IX Files: The Mental Health Impact and Effectiveness of Title IX on Marginalized College Students in Maryland (mentor: Dr. Ayşe Ikizler)        
• Madi Mustafa: Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans’ Perceptions of Trauma as Impacted by Familial Acceptance and Enculturation (mentor: Dr. Ayşe Ikizler)        
• William J. Nelson: How To Make The Best Apology and The Benefits In Providing Forgiveness (mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman)        
• Verik O'Farrell: Using Mindfulness to Cope With Stress and Anxiety for Athletes (mentor: Dr. Anandi Ehman)        
• Shannon O'Ferrall: The War of the Rainbow: How the Christian Church Impacts Familial Acceptance of LGB People (mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman)        
• Amelia Erin Rhonehouse:  Cerebellar Targeted Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Schizophrenia Patients (mentor: Dr. Vicky Müller Ewald)        
• Andrea Roncevic: Breaking the Barrier: The Role of Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis)        
• Hailey Snyder: Investigating the Link Between Sleep Quality and Traumatic Brain Injury (mentor: Dr. Vicky Müller Ewald) * NEUR
• Isabella Toppi: An Exploration of the World of Final Fantasy XIV’s Faerie Server and Community (mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman)       

10:00 am - 11:30 am

• Kyleigh Barnes: Homework to Hired: How Parenting Styles Shape Academic Success and Career Confidence (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Isabela Bonilla: The Role of Memory Processes in Advertising Effectiveness  (mentor: Dr. Nayantara Kurpad)        
• Atlas Blade: N-Acetylcisteine as a Treatment for Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia  (mentor: Dr. Liz Leininger) * NEUR
• Ashlyn Bonner: Impact of Videos and Video Captions on Emotion, Enjoyment, and Memory (mentor: Dr. Nayantara Kurpad)        
• Evelin Flores Aguilar: Cultural Gender Norm Endorsement: The Impacts on Mental Health and Help-Seeking Behaviors (mentor: Dr. Anandi Ehman)        
• Kaleena Gonzalez: The Role of Parenting and Attachment on Social Anxiety Disorder (mentor: Dr. Ayşe Ikizler)        
• Devon Hinton-Miller: How Art Therapy Affects Children With Autism (mentor: Dr. Scott Mirabile)        
• Kaylee Holston: The Impact of Bilingualism on Social Spheres and Life Satisfaction (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Liam McNulty: Executive Function in Multi Dynamics (mentor: Dr. Ayşe Ikizler)       
• Gerardo Morales: The Impact of Ginsenoside Rb1 on Methamphetamine-induced Cognitive Deficits in Learning and Memory in Rats (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis) * NEUR
• Piper Philyaw: Reject Rejection Sensitivity: A Way to Mitigate Its Effects (mentor: Dr. Gili Freedman        
• Presley Pickeral: Synaptic Activity Is Necessary for Survival of Inferior Olive Neurons in Mice (mentor: Dr. Vicky Müller Ewald) * NEUR
• Miranda Russo: From Words to Wellness: The Power of Expressive Writing in Female College Students (mentor: Dr. Ayşe Ikizler)       
• Chekesa Sife: The Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on Daily Motivation (mentor: Dr. Vicky Müller Ewald)        
• Alexandria Weaver: Impact of Videos and Video Captions on Viewers' Experiences of Advertisements (mentor: Dr. Nayantara Kurpad)

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

• Briana Allen: How Different Parenting Styles Have an Effect On Children's Screen Usage (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Dylan Arianna: How Politics Impact LGBTQ+ Help-Seeking Behaviors (mentor: Dr. Libby Williams)        
• Shekia Barnes:  Why PreSchoolers Act Out: The Role of Cognitive Development (mentor: Dr. Libby Williams)        
• Wendy Contreras: Cognitive Flexibility as a Predictor of Age at Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis) * NEUR
• Clara Divjak: A School Should Be True to You: Why Colleges Should Back Solutions to Institutional Betrayal (mentor: Dr. Anandi Ehman)        
• Jacquelyn Francis: ADHD Effects on Academic Performance Before and After Treatment (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Eden Glivings: Black LGBTQ+ People and Religious Trauma: The Impact on Identity Expression (mentor: Dr. Libby Williams)        
• Kenzie Gray: Parents of Children with Autism & Mental Health (mentor: Dr. Scott Mirabile)
• Elsa Oates: Flipping the Script: Examining the Impact of Rape Myths, Media, and Sexual History on Consent (mentor: Dr. Anandi Ehman        
• Ned Schauermann: Cortisol and Competitive Match Stress in Division III Soccer Players (mentor: Dr. Liz Leininger) * NEUR
• Tramarie Mobray: Adenosine Receptors and Addiction in the Brain’s Reward System (mentor: Dr. Torry Dennis) * NEUR
• Colin VanBronkhorst: A Piano in Your Head and Your Hands: Spatial-Pitch Associations in Playing an Instrument (mentor: Dr. James Mantell) * NEUR
• Emma Watkins: Movement Matters: The Benefits of Physical Activity Across the Lifespan (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Jacob Williams:  Is AI Useful in School/Career Settings? Here's What SMCM Thinks! (mentor: Dr. Jessica Leffers)        
• Gabrielle Zepp: How Metacognition Improves Reading Comprehension (mentor: Dr. Scott Mirabile)