By TODD GOTTULA
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – UNK student Stefani Perez-Zamarripa beat out some of the top faculty and student researchers in the nation by winning top honors in the research poster competition at the Western Social Science Association conference in Portland.
Hosted April 8-11, Perez-Zamarripa was named the overall winner of the poster competition for her research titled “Home is Where the Social Capital Is: An Analysis of Post-Emigration Social Capital and Community Ties.”
Perez-Zamarripa is a junior political science major from Lexington.
She was one of four University of Nebraska at Kearney students – and nearly 1,200 students and faculty overall – who presented at the national event that recognizes student and faculty research.
Perez-Zamarripa also was selected in February to share her research at the prestigious Posters on the Hill conference, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research. She will present to members of Congress and Capitol Hill staff April 22-23.
Other UNK students who presented their research in Portland, listed by hometown, include:
Hastings – Shelby Rowan, “Exploring the Value of Rural Life: Providing Curricula Opportunties.”
Lexington – Jessica Miner, “Public Opinion and Constitutional Checks: Limited Government Prevails.”
Minden – Morgan Kristensen, “How Will Medicaid Expansion Affect Rural Nebraska.”
Pleasanton – Adam Ripp, “Exploring the Value of Rural Life: Providing Curricula Opportunties.” Co-presenter with Rowan.
“Their research presentations were first rate. Indeed, the students displayed to the audience the robust undergraduate research culture we have at UNK,” said UNK political science professor Peter Longo, who accompanied the students on the trip.
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Writer: Todd Gottula, Director of Communications, 308.865.8454, gottulatm@unk.edu
Contact: John Falconer, Honors Program Director, 308.865.8702, falconerj@unk.edu
