MCC’s Honors Program Hosts Virtual Research Conference

Dedicated to providing students with opportunities inside and outside of the classroom, for the past decade, the Commonwealth Honors Program (CHP) at Middlesex Community College has hosted a research conference for students to present their work. As the 2020 conference was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, Middlesex ran a virtual version of the event for 2021.

A graduation requirement for honors students, the honors research conference also provides a space for students to share their ideas and improve their communication skills, according to Binnur Ercem, MCC’s Director of the CHP and Professor of Sociology & Cultural Anthropology.

“Every year in the spring, we hold a poster board research conference to celebrate students’ work,” Ercem said. “The virtual format – from what I heard from the comments people told me – went really well. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to attract crowds – or we wouldn’t be able to be as successful with the virtual format – however, I think we have successfully created a virtual platform for students and visitors to celebrate this kind of work.”

A Global Studies major from Arlington, Rosalie Flinn came to Middlesex after a year off after high school. She was unsure of her abilities to succeed in honors-level courses, but was interested in the CHP’s World Cultures Seminar offering. Thanks to the supportive and welcoming environment provided by professors and classmates – and interesting content – Flinn thrived in the program.

“My experience with the Commonwealth Honors Program was transformative,” she said. “I cannot fully express the value this program has added to my education – it has broadened my horizons and allowed me to realize the potential of my work.”

For her research entitled “Western Interventionism in the Former Yugoslavia: Balkanization from Above,” Flinn was awarded the $1,000 Kumler Family Scholarship.

“I loved being able to see all the hard work and creativity of my peers while meeting more of the faces behind the honors program,” Flinn said. “I am truly humbled to have been awarded a scholarship for my work, especially for a project I was very passionate about. I am infinitely grateful for the opportunity as well as to the Kumler Family for their gracious support.”

Under normal circumstances, students prepare a poster and stand next to it at the in-person event. In the virtual version, students created a digital poster that visitors could access with a link. Visitors could then join a Zoom with individual students to talk and ask questions about their research. Many students reported to Ercem that they had so many visitors to their links, they did not have enough time to talk to everyone.

“It created a simulation of almost being there in-person,” Ercem said. “I came to realize that there are a number of advantages of holding such a conference virtually. I heard back from many people saying, ‘oh this was wonderful, it was so easy to navigate, and the quality of the posters were so good.’”

Having the posters saved in a digital space allowed students to share their work for a longer period of time. The links were live for five days before the official conference, and a week after. A chat function also allowed visitors to comment on the research and for students to respond.

One advantage of holding a virtual event was that it helped to remove a barrier of participation for those who could not usually be there in-person. The cost of the event was also more affordable because it used less physical materials and resources, while providing students with skills that are useful in a digital world, such as setting up online presentations and participating in online conferences.

A Psychology major from Sudbury, Chloe Thomas learned many skills because of the opportunity she had through the honors research conference, including networking and sharing her discoveries and research tactics with her peers as an honors mentor.

“I was first drawn to the Commonwealth Honors Program for the small class sizes, unique course offerings, discussion-heavy nature of the classes, and scholarship and resume-building opportunities,” she said. “While I have enjoyed all of the honors courses I have taken, I have been most appreciative of the seminar courses due to their interdisciplinary structure and focus on themes such as ethnocentrism, racism and globalization, as well as the exposure to voices often not highlighted in the U.S. super-culture.”

The virtual format of the event allowed Thomas to see more of her classmates’ projects. It also provided a more relaxed environment that focused on one presentation at a time, rather than being in a group setting surrounded by people. For her work, Thomas was recognized with a $100 Amazon gift certificate.

“It was amazing to see the creativity of my peers in their presentation styles as well as the efforts of my professors and fellow honors mentors in preparing everyone for this major adjustment,” Thomas said. “It felt really nice to be recognized for my work, especially due to my passion for my topic and the hours I dedicated to my project throughout the year.”

Having research conferences online also makes it easier for Middlesex students to participate in the undergraduate research conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This year, 14 MCC students were able to participate in the state-wide conference – the most from a community college.

In the future, Ercem is looking to create a hybrid research conference that combines the best aspects of the in-person and virtual versions of the event.

“It will take some creative work,” she said. “Certain things we live and learn, but students really enjoyed it too. Take advantage of some of the positives of the virtual format, but have the human part of it that can’t be simulated of the in-person event.”

Students who participate in MCC’s CHP must have at least a 3.2 GPA upon applying and receive guaranteed transfer to any of the honors programs and colleges in the Mass. university system, enhanced prospects for acceptance to private four-year schools, and increased opportunities for scholarships. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/honors/ for more information.

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