GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College Dietrich Honors Institute students presented undergraduate research across multiple disciplines at the Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference held this spring in New Haven, Conn. The annual conference, themed “The Haven of Honors: Cultivating Innovative, Upstanding, and Impactful Leaders,” brought together honors students and faculty from colleges and universities throughout the region.
Eight Thiel students from the Dietrich Honors Institute delivered panel, poster and roundtable presentations, highlighting work in chemistry, biology, education, environmental studies, political science and literature at the March 26-29 conference. Participation in the NRHC conference supports undergraduate research, professional development and graduate school preparation—key outcomes for students pursuing majors in the sciences, humanities and social sciences.
Hayden W. Tucker ’26 presented “Preparing ¹⁵N-Labeled LptH for Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD)” in a panel session. Riley Smith ’26 delivered a poster presentation titled “Synthesis and Analysis of Tacrine and Acetylated-Tacrine using ¹H NMR and IR Spectroscopy.” Madison Rodgers ’28 led a roundtable discussion, “Empowering Young Voices: Leadership Begins in the Classroom,” focused on curriculum development and leadership in education.
Additional student presentations included Alana Rudolf ’27, “Building a Haven for Wildlife: Lessons from the 2025 Piping Plover Season at Sleeping Bear Dunes”; Brianna Hollandsworth ’28, “Leadership in the Land: Reimagining Systems Through National Parks”; Danica Escalante ’28, “Is There an Association between Religion and Political Partisanship?”; Martiale Blessing Tete ’26, “The Association Between Citizenship Status and Way of Life in Adults in the United States”; and Alexis Brown ’26, “Beyond the Page: Dystopian Fiction and the Fight for Freedom.”
“The conference was a wonderful experience that allowed me to connect with other minds in my field and develop a sense of camaraderie across multiple colleges and universities. When a student is immersed in their own work, they can at times lose the scope or focus of why their projects and perspectives are worth pursuing,” Tucker said. “Being able to share my work and passions with others in an atmosphere of excitement and curiosity, like the NRHC, is what drives me forward to excel and continue in the world of scientific discovery.”
“My experience at the NRHC was absolutely a pleasure, and something I will always suggest to others. The ability to present research that you are passionate about, is a tremendous privilege,” Brown said. “It helps you to gain new knowledge, insights, as well as a sense of accomplishment.”
“The NRHC Conference was a very eye-opening experience. It got me to do things that would typically be out of my comfort zone. I learned so much through all the presentations I attended and got to show my own growth through leadership within my DHI experience in my presentation,” Smith said.
“I am so grateful for our honors program for giving me the opportunity to go to the NRHC. I got to do a roundtable and share my curriculum that I have been working on, and I was able to get helpful feedback on it. Also, I was able to learn about other students’ research and their passions, which was so inspiring. Because of this conference, I have come back to Thiel as a more inspired and confident student to advocate for more students,” Rodgers said. “Honors is more than just a group of students who want to learn more; it’s a welcoming environment for all students and faculty to grow throughout their college years and beyond. This experience has continued to show me the importance of speaking up to make a change. You cannot wait for change to happen; you must go out there and make that change for yourself and others.”
“The NRHC conference was an amazing experience. I got to present my research, which I was very passionate about, and learn about everyone else’s work. It was amazing to discover topics I never would have thought of and to meet new people from different schools,” Tete said. “I was also able to bond with the people who came on the trip with me and still had a great time.”
“The NHRC was an amazing opportunity to learn more about different research topics while also creating new questions related to my own research. I had a wonderful time meeting so many different people and learning more about other honors programs,” Escalante said.
“The NRHC Conference was a very eye-opening experience. It got me to do things that would typically be out of my comfort zone. I learned so much through all the presentations I attended and got to show my own growth through leadership within my DHI experience in my presentation,” Hollandsworth said.
“Attending the NRHC conference was an experience I wish every honors student could have. Getting the opportunity to share my own work while also learning about other students’ research was incredibly inspiring. During the conference, I began to truly appreciate how strong our honors program is at Thiel,” Rudolf said. “By comparing it to other programs and hearing students’ experiences, I realized how unique it is that we build such close relationships with our professors and how impactful each class really is. This experience broadened my perspective, and I am excited to bring back what I learned and apply it to my own research.”
Students reported that the conference provided opportunities to share research, receive feedback and engage with peers from a range of academic disciplines. The experience also emphasized collaboration, critical thinking and communication skills valued in graduate programs and professional careers. Students also had the opportunity to explore New Haven through the City as Text experience, attend a gala, and socialize with their peers at trivia night and karaoke.
Faculty members who accompanied the group included Sheila Gross, Ph.D. ’10, director of the Dietrich Honors Institute and associate professor of English; George Branch-Trevathan, Ph.D., associate professor of religion and recipient of the 2021 Northeast Regional Honors Council Honors Professional of the Year Award (faculty category); and Sean Oros, M.A. ’15, lecturer of English.
Oros participated as a speaker in the conference’s Friday evening keynote plenary panel, presenting on self-authorship and student development in honors education. He also received honorable mention for the NRHC Honors Professional of the Year Award.
The Dietrich Honors Institute at Thiel College provides opportunities for high-achieving students to conduct research, present at regional and national conferences, and develop leadership and communication skills. Experiences such as the NRHC conference connect classroom learning with real-world application, preparing students for careers in fields including healthcare, education, public policy, scientific research and the arts.
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