During her time at Roanoke College, Tess has conducted research in several departments on campus and presented her research at multiple conferences. This semester, Tess worked on a project for the Theatre department. She was the dramaturg Roanoke College’s production of The Children’s Hour (Feb 24-26 2022). The play is about two schoolteachers, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, who run a boarding school for girls in the 1930s. They get accused of having an affair by one of their students and the play follows their downfall and life after the accusation. Tess performed all the historical significance research behind the play from the nuances in the script to women’s education to life in 1930s Connecticut. She took an artistic approach to display her research in designing a costume to convey the biography of the playwright, and a 6’ wardrobe that contains Joseph Cornell boxes relating to all the areas of research she performed. Tess says the most rewarding part of the process was articulating why a 1930s piece still resonates with audiences today. Tess won the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) Kennedy Center fellowship for the region for her lobby displays and will be competing in Nationals in April. Fantastic work!
This week we are excited to highlight Sarah Jane! For her Honors Distinction Project, she planned and facilitated a theatrical workshop aimed at middle school students with a focus on differentiation techniques for a variety of differently-abled students. She created a basic lesson plan that focused on several specific Virginia Standards of Learning for 6th-grade theatre students – many of these standards revolve around promoting positive self-image and confidence, skills that are vital to any young person’s life and education. Theatrical pedagogy is especially effective at instilling these values and she believes that this workshop not only fulfilled a learning requirement but also enriched the lives of these students. She differentiated this lesson to accommodate a variety of different students using vetted educational and theatrical research to determine the best technique to do so. This work also proves the validity and necessity of theatre education in schools and the fundamentality of arts programs for student success. She will be presenting her research at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Memphis, TN on March 12th. Great work!
(Repost) Taylor Kracht ’18 has been published as an author from research that she did during her senior year at Roanoke College! “Media Consumption: Association with Implicit Theories of Romantic Relationships” was published by the Psi Chi Journal in their December 2021 issue. Taylor worked under Dr. Darcey Powell in the psychology department during her research project. The project focuses on how the consumption of media can affect individuals’ beliefs about romantic relationships. This project also granted Taylor Honors in the Major after presenting it to a board of faculty.
This past weekend, Dr. Ackley and student researchers attended the SEACSM conference in Greenville, South Carolina. Maria Damewood placed 2nd out of 55 undergraduate poster presenters and Bryn Haden gave a phenomenal oral presentation. The research team also had the opportunity to represent Roanoke College while participating in the SEACSM Trivia Bowl. Fantastic work!
Within the Environmental Studies Program at Roanoke College, students gain insight into their relationship with nature, understand their role in creating an equitably sustainable world, and investigate pressing global, national, regional, and local environmental problems. In addition to the core curriculum and choice of tracks within the major, students are provided ample off-campus opportunities through research and internships to further their education.
Dr. Rosenthal, associate professor of history at Roanoke College, released her book titled, “Living Queer History: Remembrance and Belonging in a Southern City” which has now sparked conversation both locally and nationally. Published in December by the University of North Carolina Press, Dr. Rosenthal’s book tells the story of the LGBTQ+ community in Roanoke in addition to detailing her own journey, coming out, and transitioning as a transgender woman while working on the book.
The Fine Arts Department at Roanoke College encompasses four majors – art, art history, music, and theater. Located in Olin Hall, the Fine Arts department helps students develop and shape their passions for the arts, no matter the art form. Whether it be in a studio classroom, on stage, or during international travel, students are supported by their faculty members and peers amongst the Fine Arts department to reach their fullest potential.
In December 2021, Dixie Weaver ’23 received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study in France. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and offers funding for students to intern and study abroad, providing cultural immersion and the opportunity for both academic and career development. Dixie, a French major and member of both Maroon Baptist and French Club, will travel to Université Catholique de Lyon in Lyon, France during the fall 2022 semester. Congratulations Dixie!
Clare Kinney is working alongside Dr. Ackley in the HHP Department to study lower back pain in collegiate pole vaulters. Her research proposal was created as a part of her Research Methods class, a HEXS major requirement, after writing a literature review on spondylolysis in collegiate pole vaulters. After completing the class, Clare decided to use the base proposal she had developed to look towards conducting data collection. Currently, she is planning to research the different factors of pole vault mechanics and joint range of motion that may impact the occurrence of lower back pain. Fantastic work!
Zachary King conducts research with Dr. Steinweg which involves collecting ticks from various locations across southwest Virginia, calculating the density of the different tick species at the locations, and eventually extracting DNA to find diseases from the collected ticks. So far, they have documented the density of the various tick species from our 2021 collection. As a result of his work with Dr. Steinweg, Zach has presented his research at the Research Showcase at Roanoke College in addition to being selected as a runner up for the Virginia Mosquito Control Association (VMCA) student poster competition. Great work!
Michael Santoroski 
