Lucerna Celebrates 10 Years of Undergrad Research

University News recently featured Lucerna in an article highlighting the journal’s tenth volume and year publishing undergraduate research at UMKC. UNews reporter Hope Austin interviewed current editor-in-chief Morgan McCarter, who expressed being “proud of [celebrating] ten years of high-caliber, undergraduate research.” McCarter and the Lucerna team launched the tenth volume of the journal at a symposium on February 2.

Download the volume online or visit the Honors College office in Administrative Center 348 to request a hard copy.

You can read the UNews feature here.

Lucerna Publishes Tenth Volume at Symposium

The UMKC Honors College hosted the Lucerna Symposium Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. to about 60 attendees at the Student Union, celebrating the publication of their tenth volume. Six authors were honored at the event, as well as Lucerna’s staff and faculty. “I was very pleased by the turnout,” Jim McKusick, dean of the Honors College, said. “The audience was engaged, and they asked really good questions, and the student presenters made me proud because they gave really sharp answers, unexpected ones at times.”

255A6566

After welcoming remarks from McKusick and Chancellor Leo Morton, co-editor-in-chief of the 2015 volume, LeAnna Cates, expressed her gratitude for the Honors College in furthering the journal.

“This is way more impressive than I expected,” Cates said. “I started this last year, and all suddenly, it just grew with the help of the Honors College. I am so happy that it turned into an event like this.”

Lucerna is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal and UMKC’s only undergraduate research journal, publishing articles by students in the social sciences, sciences and humanities.

Check out the authors’ profiles below. Click on each name to expand their story.

 

Written by Deena Essa, Honors College Student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trustees Awards Announced

Honors College student Maria Gentry was recently recognized as Trustees Scholar of the Year. Gentry is a junior pursuing a dual degree in Biology and Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. She currently serves as Chair of the Trustee Scholars Community Service Committee and Honors College Advisory Council Co-President. Gentry is also a member of the new Honors Ambassador Program, serving as a mentor for her fellow Honors College students. Off-campus, she researches at the Hawley Lab at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Gentry enjoys teaching dance, baking desserts, and reading books in her free time. Her future plans include becoming a medical doctor and working to solve previously unsolvable cases in order to provide a better quality of life.

Above, Gentry accepts the award of Trustees Scholar of the Year from Trustee Chandler McCray.

Click here to read UMKC Today‘s feature on Gentry.

Written by Chelsea Wheeler, Honors College Student Assistant