Winners of the 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize

Abigail Christine Gillen is the winner of the 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Research Prize Winner Abigail Gillen holding framed certificate.
Abigail Christine Gillen, 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winner in the Undergraduate Upper-level Category

Abigail is a second-year Occupational Therapy major who submitted to the competition her paper titled “Effectiveness of Yoga on Symptom Management for Persons Living with Breast Cancer,” completed in the course OT 250: Scientific Writing and Information Literacy in OT, taught by Dr. Lisa Kozden. Abigail’s project was a literature review on a topic which changed through the course of her research process. In her description of research, she shares she discovered “a new world of research that I was unaware existed because of my accidental findings” which set her down a “new path” for her project, choosing to focus her research on the management of specific breast cancer symptoms including yoga as an intervention.

Abigail used a variety of Library resources, services, and techniques, including the databases CINAHL and ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, and attended an information literacy instruction class with a faculty librarian. The judges were especially struck by the high number of sources Abigail found, consulted, and integrated into this 200-level literature review assignment: her APA references list contains 55 sources. 

The judges also observed Abigail’s personal learning and understanding of the research process and how it connects to Ignatian values; on this, Abigail says, “Magis: a restless desire for excellence. This Ignatian value was constantly on my back […] if I can really help people or at least develop a better understanding of my research in my own space and eventually help clients in the future then I couldn’t just complete this paper to check something off my to-do list.” She goes on to argue for the necessity of research in her field: “Research is necessary, especially in occupational therapy” [because we have to] “prove to people that we make a difference” and also “prove that our interventions work, that we, as a profession are truly making a difference in our communities.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Lisa Kozden says of working with Abigail, “Abby showcases her hard work and dedication to the scientific writing process in this assignment. She actively participates in class and demonstrates a sincere interest in learning about the research process. It is my absolute pleasure to work with Abby. This award is well deserved.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category were presented to Elizabeth D. Behling, a third-year student in the Occupational Therapy program, for her paper titled “The Effect of Movement Therapy on Symptom Severity in Adults with Parkinson’s Disease: An Evidence Review,” completed in the course OT 350: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods for Dr. Ann Romanosky; and to Jessica Tsu, also a third-year student in the Occupational Therapy program, for her paper titled “Efficacy of Functional Electrical Stimulation Versus Virtual Reality in Improving Upper Extremity Function in Patients with Stroke: An Evidence Review,” completed in the course OT 350: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods for Dr. Deborah Budash.

E Kerr and Ashley Dugasz are the winners of the 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Research Prize Winners Ashley Dugasz and E Kerr holding framed certificates.
(Left to Right) Ashley Dugasz and E Kerr, 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winners in the Graduate Category

E and Ashley, graduate students in the five-year Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, submitted to the competition their project titled “Occupational Therapy, Medicine, and Queer Identity,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in OT for Dr. Marlene Morgan. Their project was a historical literature review requiring they find sources on their topic from each decade dating back to 1910. Their research “yielded a timeline of sorts, in that it mapped out the prevalence, classification, and opinions held by society, with regards to gender and sexuality,” as they share in their description of research

But there were challenges they faced in pursuing research on this topic. They go on to share: “Up until very recently, even with progress towards equity and diversity in the late 90s/early 2000s, information was hard to come by regarding queer identity, except for articles that focused on queer identity as an ailment, or as a condition that needed to have a specific “cause”.” There were also challenges in executing the search process for sources; they explain, “We had to adjust some of the terminology throughout our searches, since different time periods used and referred to what we now know as “queer identity” in different ways (such as an illness, mental health condition, etc.).”

E and Ashley’s persistence through these challenges was not only academic but personal: through this research project, they “wanted to trace the history of our shared queer identity, specifically with regards to our future profession, so we could gather a better understanding of how we got where we are today, and where, potentially, we still need to go.” In this way their research and reflection on it is both brave and forward-looking, making connections to future applications of their personal learning through the research process.

Given these challenges, they were able to find, read, and synthesize 49 sources on their topic of “queer identity and presence within the medical realm” dating from the 1910s through the present. To do this they used resources such as the CINAHL, JSTOR, and EBSCOhost library databases, advanced search techniques such as citation chasing which they learned in an information literacy instruction class with a faculty librarian, and new-to-them technology in the form of microfilm and the readers needed to read and access it.

In all this, E and Ashley understood their research as supported and connected to Ignatian values. In particular, the “restless desire for excellence” characterized by the magis can be seen in their persistence through search challenges related to their topic and the dearth of ready historical information about it. And cura personalis for them is evident both in their personal connection to the topic and in their connection to using what they learned in the future “as occupational therapists who focus on working with the whole person.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Marlene Morgan comments on E and Ashley’s project, “This is the first time that queer identity has been the focus of a historical analysis” and that the “researchers did a remarkable job locating primary resources on this topic from the early years to the present. They identified medical journals, life stories, legislation, and reports of social perspectives.” Dr. Morgan also highlights the impact of the project when she says, “The need for occupational therapy practitioners to value cultural diversity and practice cultural humility are evident in this project.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category were presented to Doctor of Physical Therapy students Kerri Breznak, Hannah Woodeshick, Jessica Book, and Karllo Pozo, for the project, “Virtual Reality for Gait and Balance in Adults with Unilateral Amputation: A Systematic Review,” completed in PT 773: Scientific Inquiry III in PT for Dr. Renée Hakim; and to Kameron Matthews, Taylor Baloga, Matthew Schreck, and Carli Tetla, students also in the Doctor of Physical therapy Program, for the project, “Impact of Service on Social Responsibility and Cultural Competency in DPT Students: A Systematic Review,” completed in PT 773: Scientific Inquiry III in PT for Dr. Dana Maida.

Allison Magee is the winner of the 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Research Prize Winner Allison Magee holding framed certificate.
Allison Magee, 2023 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winner in the Undergraduate Foundational Category

Allison is a first-year mathematical sciences major on the actuarial science track who submitted to the competition her paper titled “Genetics in Life Insurance,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. Tasked with researching an argumentative contemporary issue related to her major, Allison chose the topic of genetics in life insurance, using Library resources that included the databases Academic Search Elite (EBSCO) and ProQuest Central, attending an information literacy instruction class with a faculty librarian, and taking advantage of the Library’s InterLibrary Loan service to “expand [her] knowledge of the subject of life insurance,” as she shares in her description of research

From the information literacy class Allison applied advanced search techniques including “Boolean operators in database search fields paired with filters for academic journals,” noting that academic journal keywords “were a great tool to expand [her] searches within the databases.” She found a balance of academic and popular sources for her project, and by doing so exceeded the minimum source requirement, an example of the restless desire for excellence characterized by the magis. Allison comments on this in her description of research when she shares, “Something I have learned about the research process is that it can be draining at times. The perfect source is not going to appear out of thin air and it can take some time.” She goes on to say, “While all the library’s tools and resources make research easier, I realized the best skill for researching is patience, a love of learning, and a passion for your research topic.” 

In her description of research she also reports that at the start of the project she was going to argue against the use of genetic information in life insurance underwriting but through her research she changed her position in favor of its use in life insurance because doing so keeps life insurance affordable for all, an example of cura personalis applied to research.

Sponsoring faculty Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera comments on the Ignatian learning evident in Allison’s project and shares, “Allison fully embraced her own agency on this assignment. She came up with a challenging research topic . . . which seemed beyond the scope of a 100-level foundational writing course and a topic which may have been better suited for a 300- or 400-level course. . . . During the process of tackling the argument-research assignment . . . it became clear Allison is a person who demonstrates Magis through exceptional commitment to excellence, and persistence through challenges.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Foundational category were presented to first-year Accounting major Gabriella Greene, for the project, “What Is Odinism? How Has It Developed Over Time?” completed in COMM 121X: Mythology in the Media for Dr. Howard Fisher; and to first-year Computer Engineering major James William O’Malley IV, for the project, “Batteries: Sustainable or Unsustainable?” completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera.

Currently celebrating its 12th year, the Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the Library Research Prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize was fully endowed in 2019 and consists of a prize of $500 awarded to winning projects in each of the three categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

Prize winners were honored at an Awards Ceremony & Reception on Thursday, May 11, 2023 in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

 

Winners of the 2022 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize

Gabrielle Allen is the winner of the 2022 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Five people posed for a photo with person in the center holding a framed award
Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Ann Romanosky, Occupational Therapy Department; Gabrielle Allen, Research Prize Winner; Victoria Castellanos, Dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies; and George Aulisio, Dean of the Library

Gabrielle is a junior in the Occupational Therapy program who submitted to the competition her paper titled “The Effects of Exercise on Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder: An Evidence Review,” completed in the course OT 350: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, taught by Dr. Ann Romanosky. For her research, Gabrielle relied on what she had learned about database research starting in her first year at the University. She needed to consult fifty primary research studies, scholarly articles, or peer-reviewed papers about her topic of the effect of exercise on attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder; to do this, she identified three sub-topical areas of research which she could target in her searches. She also tracked her research using a spreadsheet designed to organize where she found the source, topical keywords for the source, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the APA citation for the source, and any directly quoted evidence she identified as useful to her review.

Through the research process, Gabrielle discovered new insights into her topic as well as the related research in her field. In her description of research, she shares: “I soon realized that there is not a lot of research [about this topic] authored by occupational therapists.” Rather than this be a deterrent to gathering evidence on the topic she identified, Gabrielle demonstrated persistence and saw it as an opportunity to further understand the ways her topic is researched in the field; she notes, “I learned that it is common for research teams to be interdisciplinary, rather than just focusing on one aspect of the team.” Gabrielle comments on her “trial-and-error mindset” as a researcher when “figuring out what method of research” worked for her, demonstrating flexibility and an open mind when researching. She concludes her description of research with her plans to design a research study on this topic, and when she does she “plan[s] to utilize the library’s resources to ensure [her] success in future research.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Ann Romanosky comments on Gabrielle’s work on the assignment: “This [Evidence Based Research] paper was labor intensive and required an understanding of research level quantitative statistics;” she goes on to share, “Gabrielle’s writing was clear and focused, [she] selected appropriate and current research, [and she] demonstrated great personal growth through this project.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category were presented to Alexis Angstadt, a junior in the Occupational Therapy program, for her paper titled “The Efficacy of Combined Mirror Therapy and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Amputees with Phantom Limb Pain: An Evidence Review,” completed in the course OT 350: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods for Dr. Carol Coté; and to Amanda Lauren Serafin, a senior Accounting and Business Analytics double major, who submitted her honors project titled “Integrating ESG into the Accounting Curriculum: Insights from Accounting Educators,” completed in the course ACC 489H: ESG/CSR Reporting Research for Prof. Ashley Stampone.

Colleen Berry, Jamie Hreniuk, Bryan Gorczyca, and Nicholas Capobianco are the winners of the 2022 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Two people posed holding a framed award
Lori Walton, Physical Therapy Department, who accepted the Graduate Research Prize on behalf of winners Colleen Berry, Jamie Hreniuk, Bryan Gorczyca, and Nicholas Capobianco; and George Aulisio, Dean of the Library

Colleen, Jamie, Bryan, and Nicholas are third-year students completing their studies in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. They submitted to the competition their project titled “The Effectiveness of Complementary/Alternative Medicine for Pain Management in Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review,” completed in the course PT 773: Scientific Inquiry III for PT, taught by Dr. Renée Hakim. The group members used the Library’s resources to explore topics related to vulnerable populations and landed on the use of complementary/alternative medicine for pain management in postpartum women. They met with a faculty librarian to develop a search string that would capture the research they were interested in which they used to search in the library databases in their field, identifying 483 possible articles to review. The Library’s efficient InterLibrary Loan service was critical to their success in accessing and reviewing the articles they identified. Using the citation management platform Zotero and related strategies they also learned in their meeting with a librarian, the researchers narrowed to 22 articles which they proceeded to include in their qualitative analysis of the topic.

This group of researchers went on to have an abstract accepted for presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting. In their description of research, they share the centrality of the Library in the success of their research: “The resources available through the Weinberg Memorial Library made it possible to conduct thorough research with clinically relevant applications that physical therapists may share with their patients, community, friends, and family” and that “the process of preliminary literature review, article searching and accessing, and compilation of findings would not be possible without the robust resources available through the Weinberg Memorial Library.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Renée Hakim commends the student researchers who produced this project and shares, “All group members mastered the methodology through a series of progress reports and revisions which occurred over three consecutive semesters. Their work was very high quality as confirmed by the peer-review process which resulted in acceptance to a national scientific meeting.  I am very proud of their accomplishments.”

Corinne Rose Smith is the winner of the 2022 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Three people posed for a photo with person in the center holding a framed award
Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Corinne Rose Smith, Research Prize Winner; and George Aulisio, Dean of the Library

Corinne is a Nursing major who submitted to the competition her paper titled “Aspirin: Your Body’s Best Friend or Enemy?,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. Tasked with researching an argumentative contemporary issue related to her major, Corinne chose the topic of aspirin and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. During an information literacy class taught by a faculty librarian, Corinne learned to combine brainstormed keywords in her database searches; apply search filters to limit the source criteria to scholarly, peer-reviewed articles published in the last eight years; and critically evaluate the sources she found. In her description of research, Corinne explains in doing this she  “decided what the purpose of each source was, where it was published, and why it was useful.” She then created a source log, in which she documented the information she learned from each source and which precise portions of the source gave her that information.

These demonstrated methods of research and the information gathering process led Corinne to meaningful insights into the role of research in writing and her wider academic career. In her description of research she shares: “I have learned a stronger researcher makes a stronger writer. … While I initially felt overwhelmed at the start of my research process, I found the library’s extensive resources, tools, and services eased the process tremendously.” She offers the metaphor of a traveler to describe the research process, describing “a traveler who journeys from source to source to discover new insights.” She notes the role of curiosity in the research process when she admits, “The more information I found, the more intrigued I became with the topic.” And she shares how work on this paper will extend to her further academic research pursuits when she says, “I believe my ability to write a strong paper has improved tremendously,” where for her the research process is like “taking part in an adventure that could potentially change the face of the future.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera comments on Corinne’s project and shares, “As Corinne accumulated knowledge during her research process, she also became more conscientious of the importance of knowing the entirety of an issue … Corinne’s dedication to applying lessons learned throughout her first year at the University has resulted in a well-researched, timely paper which appeals to a general audience.”

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Foundational category was presented to Sarah Boyle, a Counseling and Human Services and Accounting major, for her paper titled “The Population Below the Poverty Line” completed in her CHS 111: Intro to Human Adjustment course for Dr. Paul Datti.

Currently celebrating its 11th year, the Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the Library Research Prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize was fully endowed in 2019 and consists of a prize of $500 awarded to winning projects in each of the three categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

Prize winners were honored at a reception on Thursday, May 12, 2022 in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Four people posed for a photo with two people in the center holding framed awards
2022 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Honorees: Amanda Lauren Serafin, Honorable Mention; Corinne Rose Smith, Winner; Gabrielle Allen, Winner; and Alexis Angstadt, Honorable Mention

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Winners of the 2021 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize

Sophia N. Visaggio is the winner of the 2021 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Undergraduate Upper-level Winner Photograph
Sophia N. Visaggio, Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winner in the Undergraduate Upper-level Category

Sophia is a sophomore Occupational Therapy major with a minor in Psychology from Wantagh, New York, who submitted the project “Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,” completed in the course OT 250: Scientific Writing and Information Literacy, taught by Dr. Julie Nastasi. Sophia began her research process after information literacy instruction to her class by a librarian, through which she learned techniques for searching within the EBSCO database CINAHL with Full Text, including how to adjust search criteria to meet her research and topical needs. She maintained an electronic file with a chart in which she logged her progress so she could recreate her searches later in the research process, and as an aid in her organization and analysis of sources. She also notes how her increased understanding of her topic will help her in different parts of her life, both professional and personal.

But perhaps most important in Sophia’s work on this project was the change in her disposition toward research; as she shares in her description of research:

“When researching my topic of interventions for ADHD, I felt accomplished when I found an article that was perfect for my paper. I was surprised how a task I once feared now brought me a sense of enjoyment from successfully scouring the database and finding exactly what I needed. … Now being able to retrospectively look back on this once terrifying task, I am proud of my growth in both accessing the library’s databases as well as my analysis and writing skills. What began as a task I dreaded and could not wait to be done with became a journey of researching and writing that I found enjoyable so much so that I did not mind the amount of work I put into perfecting my paper.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Julie Nastasi comments on the quality of Sophia’s work and shares, “Sophia conducted a literature review and synthesized the types of interventions used in occupational therapy practice for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Her research is extremely impressive because she has not had clinical practice courses at this point in the curriculum. She identified appropriate interventions and was able to report the findings in literature to use in clinical practice.”

Currently celebrating its 10th year, the Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize was fully endowed in 2019 and consists of a prize of $500 awarded to winning projects in each of the three categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category were presented to Sydney L. Gero, a sophomore Criminal Justice major and Counseling and Human Services minor, for the project, “An Empirical Study on Cybercrime and COVID-19,” completed in CJ 386H: Cybercrime and COVID-19 for Dr. Sinchul Back; and to Jessica Goldschlager, a junior with majors in Neuroscience and Hispanic Studies, for the project, “El trauma histórico y la comunidad latinx,” completed in SPAN 335: Service and the Hispanic Community for Dr. Roxana Curiel.

Amanda Trumpore, Elizabeth DiGiovine, Kayla Brown, and Emily Harvan are the winners of the 2021 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Graduate Category Prize Winners Photograph
Top Row: Amanda Trumpore, Elizabeth DiGiovine; Bottom Row: Kayla Brown, Emily Harvan; Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winners in the Graduate Category

Amanda, Elizabeth, Kayla, and Emily are students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, who are from Warren, New Jersey, Shavertown, Pennsylvania, Stockholm, New Jersey, and Cranford, New Jersey, respectively. Together they submitted to the competition the group project “Effects of Music on HR and BP on Patients in the ICU: A Meta-Analysis,” completed in the course sequence PT 771/772/773: Scientific Inquiry in Physical Therapy, taught by Dr. Renée Hakim. This project was a systematic review conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) format. Group members relied on expert instruction by a librarian in search, e.g., how to use MeSH terms in PubMed, and bibliographic management, e.g., collaborative citation organization and analysis using Zotero. They also used the Library’s efficient Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services to successfully conduct their review of 182 studies which were culled down to 18 from which they extracted data “to determine the impact of music on the vital signs of patients in the ICU.”

The group comments on the iterative and collaborative nature of the research process in their description of research when they share:

“Our group learned many lessons throughout this project with the help of both the library and our department faculty. Although we anticipated that the process of conducting a systematic review would be straightforward, we discovered that implementing the procedure involves considerable trial and error and team cooperation. We had to change our search terms many times to obtain an appropriate search yield …”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Renée Hakim commended this project for being accepted for presentation at a national scientific meeting (American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting, February 2021), and notes that “At the start of the project, the students knew very little about the design methodology and library resources. By the end of the project, they completed a quality study which is considered the highest level of evidence (OCEBM [Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine]),” and that “This application of information literacy will be applied by these students as life-long learners to maintain best practice as future health care professionals.”

Jonathan R. Wells is the winner of the 2021 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Undergraduate Foundational Winner Photograph
Jonathan R. Wells, Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winner in the Undergraduate Foundational Category

Jonathan is a first-year Biology major from Long Valley, New Jersey, who submitted to the competition the project “The Surprising Reality of Middle Eastern Tourism,” completed in Prof. Charles Kratz’s WRTG 107: Composition course. He investigated his topic in both the Library’s resources, primarily in the EBSCOhost database Academic Search Elite and the ProQuest Central database, and in credible web sources such as the Jordan Investment Commission (jic.gov.jo). He also developed the structure of his paper in response to the information he found in the databases about his topic, shaping his subsequent searches based on the new things he learned about his topic along the way.

In his description of research, Jonathan offers a metaphor for the research process that illustrates his developed understanding of research when he shares:

“Through an evolving research process, I developed a greater understanding of the process of gathering information. An analogy I like to use is that research is synonymous to mining. You have a target ore that you would like to find; however, in the process of trying to find that ore, you will come across other valuable types of rocks. My research process relates to this idea, because when I was researching my topic, I started out with target ideas, and ended up with other valuable information that helped me create a strong informative essay. This allowed me to understand the importance of starting with broad searches, and narrowing down on more specific subtopics.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. Charles Kratz comments on Jonathan’s project and shares, “Jonathan did excellent work in defining a clear research process using Weinberg Library resources. The strength of his work came in how he revised his research process along the way. His topic and the information gathering process became very important to him. He especially enjoyed the new sense of discovery the research process provided him.”

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Foundational category was presented to Charles C. Sylvester, a first-year Environmental Science major with a minor in Classical Languages, for the project “The Age of the Electric Vehicle has Come,” completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on campus operations, in lieu of an in-person awards reception prize winners received their awards in May.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Winners of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

Katherine R. Burke is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Kat is a 26-year-old Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania native currently enrolled part-time in the Philosophy program, who submitted the project “Towards an Ethics of Gendered Difference,” completed in the course PHIL 382: Care Ethics in Japanese Film, taught by Prof. George Aulisio. For her research, Kat’s starting point was two primary works on the ethics of care which she read through the lens of gender-expansivity; this process then led her first to the Library’s Philosophy and humanities databases, and then to the Library’s interlibrary loan request platforms through which she was able to track down the key sources cited in the primary works that served as her project’s focus.

Kat learned valuable lessons about research and writing by immersing herself in sources both adjacent and central to the focus of her project; she shares in her description of research,

“…immersing myself in the works of those who had already parsed texts like those I was focusing on shed light on how one can boil down key concepts from a given work and where one’s focus should lie in philosophical texts.” Commenting on the ease of use of our interlibrary loan services, she notes, “Using these services made me really understand that even though research is rigorous and often challenging, the tools we have at our disposal help to make it a much more efficient – and enjoyable – process.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. George Aulisio observed that Kat “learned the importance of digesting philosophy slowly, re-reading at length the ideas of philosophers until everything is fully comprehended” as well as “the value of carrying on an academic discussion (i.e., Scholarship as Conversation)” and “how much value that adds to one’s own knowledge and knowledge creation.”

The Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. The Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize was fully endowed in 2019 and consists of a prize of $500 awarded to winning projects in each of the three categories: Undergraduate Foundational (100-level projects), Undergraduate Upper-level (200- to 400-level projects), and Graduate.

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Upper-level category was presented to Sarah White, a sophomore Biology and Philosophy double major, for the project, “Constrained Women, Authoritarian Men, and Gender-Based Medical Treatments: Unequal Gender Roles and a Tragic Descent into Madness in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wall-paper’,” completed in the course ENLT 265J: The American Literary Experience for Dr. Leonard Gougeon.

Liam Mulvaney is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Liam is a graduate occupational therapy student from Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, who submitted to the competition the project “Historical Analysis: A Century of Progress in Adaptive Equipment,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy, taught by Dr. Marlene Morgan. For this project, Liam took advantage of the Library’s digital resources, including CINAHL, PubMed, and ProQuest Central, as well as the Library’s physical resources, such as the print books on reserve, microfilm, and various foundational Occupational Therapy journals, in order to research and conduct a historical reflective analysis of adaptive equipment in the field of Occupational Therapy.

He notes that the online library research guide for this course as well as the library staff were especially helpful as he conducted the complex research for this project. In his description of research, he shares that “citation chasing” was the most beneficial advanced research technique he learned and applied in this project, and that he

“became a better student and researcher as a result of the library’s staff and resources.”

Sponsoring faculty Dr. Marlene Morgan commended Liam for his use of patents and illustrations of adaptive equipment in his project, and praised his project by noting that “Systematic reflection of how leadership in OT has successfully created and sustained a meaningful role in the development and use of adaptive equipment in the past will provide us with strategies to face the future.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category were presented to Melissa Busch, graduate student in the Occupational Therapy program, for the project, “Occupational Therapy in the Hospital,” also completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy for Dr. Marlene Morgan; and to group partners Emily Gilinger, Tyler Huggins, Brian Gargiulo, and Joshua Taylor, graduate students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, for their project, “Recreational Activities Impact on Activity and Participation in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review,” completed in the course PT 772/773: Scientific Inquiry II/III in Physical Therapy for Dr. Renée Hakim.

Eryn Boken is the winner of the 2020 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Eryn is a sophomore Kinesiology major from Los Angeles, California, who submitted to the competition the project “Coronavirus Concerns for the U.S. Economy,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. She primarily used the EBSCOhost database Academic Search Elite and the CREDO Reference search tool to search for information about the 2019 novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and through this process found that studying the economic impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that spread in 2002 was a valuable research strategy for better understanding the current impact of the developing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. She also focused her search strategy as she went, taking keywords from initial articles she found and using them to run subsequent searches in the databases for more information about her project’s focus.

Eryn eloquently captures the research process in her description of research when she shares:

“Looking at where my research first began, how it developed, and the bibliography I ended with, I noticed the journey I had to take throughout the process. I was constantly learning something new each time I entered the database portal and therefore had to adjust the information I wanted to use accordingly. Especially with all the tools the library has to offer us, where you begin the research is certainly not where you will end.”

Sponsoring faculty Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera says of Eryn that “She seemed to get a lot of joy out of the discovery involved with research — following leads and paths to get answers. This student kept turning over rocks to find more information and wasn’t satisfied with just the first thing that turned up. The thing about this particular issue, too, is that the information was true news, and therefore kept changing — sometimes within the same day!”

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Foundational category were presented to sophomore Psychology major Brayden Druger for the project “Preliminary Military Health Screenings: Are They Worth It?” completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera; and to first-year Biology major Sydney Youngblood for the project “To Heal or To Kill,” also completed in WRTG 107: Composition for Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Spring semester, in lieu of an in-person awards reception prize winners were mailed their awards at the end of May.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Winners of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Announced

Elizabeth McManus is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Upper-level category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 200- to 400-level course.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Joan Wasilewski, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Elizabeth McManus, Research Prize Winner; Harry Dammer, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Liz is a senior Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (BCMB) major with a minor in Computer Science from Brookfield, Connecticut, who submitted her project “Preventative and Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines,” completed in her capstone course BCMB 490, taught by Dr. Joan Wasilewski. For her research, Liz used the library’s curation of disciplinary resources to research and prepare a project culminating in a 35-minute presentation on the topic of vaccines to prevent and therapeutically treat cancer. At first reporting she was “overwhelmed” by the amount of information out there on this topic, Elizabeth realized she needed to adapt her research strategy by using the database MEDLINE/PubMed to seek out review articles; her goal in doing this was to develop “a more substantial understanding of the topic” by filling in “the gaps in [her] knowledge.” In her description of research, Liz eloquently summarizes the research strategies she learned through this project when she says, “By first establishing a wide breadth of knowledge on the topic, I prepared myself for the depth of research that followed.”

The Weinberg Memorial Library inaugurated the prize in 2011 to recognize excellence in research projects that show evidence of significant knowledge of the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools, and services. In 2017, the prize was named for Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who founded the prize at the University in 2011. Winning projects in each of three categories receive a $500 prize.

Honorable Mention awards in the Undergraduate Upper-level category included Anna Maria Giblin, a junior History major with a Philosophy minor and a Legal Studies concentration, as well as group partners Catherine Moloney, Gabriela Lins, and Kailtin Kenyon, senior Occupational Therapy majors.

Kerry Ann Randall and Megan Schane are the winners of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Graduate category.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy; Kerry Ann Randall, Research Prize Winner; Megan Schane, Research Prize Winner; Debra Pellegrino, Dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Kerry Ann and Megan are graduate occupational therapy students from Farmington, Connecticut and Cresco, Pennsylvania, respectively, who submitted to the competition their project “Adaptive Equipment Through the Ages: A Historical Review of Occupational Therapy,” completed in the course OT 501: Leadership in Occupational Therapy, taught by Dr. Rita Fleming-Castaldy. For this project, Kerry Ann and Megan made heavy use of library resources which they accessed through the online library research guide for this course. Resources used include the library’s databases including ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, CINAHL, and PubMed; books including those that were held on print reserve and at the Research Services desk, books from the circulating collection, and ebooks; journals both in print and online; and periodical literature only available in microfilm. In their description of research, Kerry Ann and Megan conclude, “We could not have completed our paper without the library, the online and physical data, and the space to use its computers, scanners, printers, and quiet spaces. The library is an irreplaceable resource on campus with wonderful staff which has shaped us into better students and researchers as we prepare for our professional careers.”

Honorable Mention awards in the Graduate category included Jenna Gulics and Lisa Crivelli, both graduate students in the Occupational Therapy program, and Lindsey Hayde, a graduate student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Isaiah Livelsberger is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize in the Undergraduate Foundational category, which is awarded to the winning project completed in a 100-level course.

Donna Witek, Information Literacy Coordinator; Isaiah Livelsberger, Research Prize Winner; Harry Dammer, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Charles Kratz, Dean of the Library

Isaiah is a first-year International Studies and Philosophy major from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, who submitted to the competition his paper “Empty Aid,” completed in Prof. Dawn D’Aries Zera’s WRTG 107: Composition course. To complete his research, Isaiah relied on initial instruction in brainstorming topical keywords, database searching, and information evaluation provided by both his professor and a faculty librarian who visited his class, as well as support at the Research Services desk. What sets Isaiah’s research apart, however, is the way his initial position on his topic changed through the research process, developing a more critical stance on the topic of the effects of humanitarian aid on recipient countries as a result of the new information he found. Through researching and writing this paper, Isaiah “learned that research is a dynamic, intense process” and “discovered the seemingly unlimited information [he] can use as a university student through the library to develop educated opinions.”

An Honorable Mention award in the Undergraduate Foundational category was given to Justine Duva, a first-year Biology Major.

Prize winners were honored at a reception on Thursday, May 9, 2019 in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

Information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found on the website: http://www.scranton.edu/libraryresearchprize

2019 Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Winners Kerry Ann Randall, Megan Schane, Elizabeth McManus, and Isaiah Livelsberger

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Please consider giving to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund, ensuring that the prize will be awarded in perpetuity. Make your gift directly to the fund here.

Leaves of Class XVIII ~ July Winner & August Drawing

We pull our August winner tomorrow – Will it be you?

Congratulations to Donna Rupp of Scranton, our July winner, who won a Coleman Roadtrip portable propane grill courtesy of Fidelity Bank, gift cards from Wegmans, Abe’s Deli, Mansour’s Market, Gold Crown Pizza, Damon’s Grill & Sports Bar, The University of Scranton Bookstore, and TGI Fridays. In addition, Donna won a basket of cheer compliments of Ann Moskovitz, a beach gift basket from The Commonwealth Medical College, a movie gift bag from The Dietrich Theater, 2 theatre subscriptions from The University of Scranton Players, and two tickets to the Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival!

There are still FIVE more drawings for Leaves of Class XVIII. PURCHASE YOUR CHANCES TODAY!

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Leaves of Class XIII ~ January Winner

Congratulations to Frank Subasic of Clarks Summit who won memberships to the Everhart Museum and Lackawac Sanctuary, a gift certificate for 2 tickets to a Broadway Theatre League of NEPA 2011 production, 2 tickets to Langston Hughes’ Ask Your Mama, Twelve Moods for Jazz, courtesy of Community Concerts at Lackawanna College, 4 movie passes to Cinemark Theatres, a $50 gift certificate toward performances at the Scranton Cultural Center, 2 tickets to an Actors Circle production, a new haircut at CK Salon, a gift basket of fabulous lotions and more from LAVISH Body+Home, a 2 day/one night midweek stay at any one of three Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts, a meal at Old Country Buffet (2 adult and 3 children,) and a 3-month “exclusive” Black Card membership to Planet Fitness.

Remember there’s still eleven more chances to win great prizes ~ Click here to purchase your Leaves of Class Raffle Ticket.
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