The North Park Research Experience for Summer Students (NPRESS) went on as planned last summer despite the pandemic.
As a part of the program, now in its fifth year, four students worked closely with professors in their chosen field on a research project. Each student finished the summer by presenting their research findings (virtually) on topics ranging from Fine Art and Philosophy to History and Political Science.
“My mentor really helped me think about how art can respond to ideas from the academic world in various ways, which led me down interesting avenues,” said art student Emmanuel Carrillo, who studied Fine Art and Philosophy with Professor Kelly VanderBrug, and presented “Nostalgia of the Present: Art and Design in Response to Cultural Hauntology.”
“I ventured forth from my comfort zone in painting and drawing to more experimental work in performance and video art.”
Mentored by Dr. Mark Gavoor, Miakala Rath presented “Quality Transformation in Higher Education.” Rath, a senior Business Management major, studied metrics and quality transformation models to measure improvement in higher education.
Gabrielle Rigg, who is majoring in History and who graduated this winter, collaborated with Dr. Sarah Doherty to present “Unlikely Neighbor: The Relationship between Anglo and Japanese Farmers in the Central Valley of California during World War II.” Inspired to continue her project, Rigg said, “The online NPRESS experience required Dr. Doherty and me to adapt our original aims of this project, but I am thankful I was able to conduct remote interviews and I will hopefully continue this research in the future.”
As a senior majoring in Political Science and Communications, Donna Shergarfi conducted research on the appropriation of Black culture under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel White Hodge. During the virtual event, Shergarfi presented “Keeping up with the Kim: An Ethnonarrative of the Kardashian Empire.”
