MIAMI, Fla., November 21, 2019 - Shakoya Brown ’20 and Charles Langston ’20 traveled to Miami to present research at the Florida International University McNair Scholars conference October 17- 19, 2019. Students in the McNair Scholars Program are required to present research at national conferences, which helps to prepare them for post-graduation.
Brown said presentations not only help with her skills, but also with her confidence.
“I know I am becoming prepared to work in my desired field,” Brown said. “In addition, I am sharpening tactical skills, boosting my confidence and increasing my knowledge of the trends that exist within my field,” she explained.
Dr. Jonathan Smalls, director of JCSU’s McNair Scholars program, is fulfilled when seeing his students present their research.
“One of my proudest moments at the conference was observing our scholars’ abilities to stimulate intellectual curiosity and discourse within an academic space independent of their faculty mentor and McNair staff,” he said.
Brown’s research, “Young Adults & Politics: Understanding How Social Media Affects the Political Engagement of Young Adults Enrolled at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU),” explores the driving forces behind how HBCU students engage in social action.
“Having the opportunity to learn about what makes people the way they are and how this affects the wider world is my favorite aspect of research,” Brown added.
In addition to presenting research, Brown and Langston also networked with McNair Scholars from other universities.
“It's a special time that allows you to network and learn from your peers who are experiencing the same things you are within the program,” Langston said.
He is appreciative of Smalls’ guidance and what the McNair Scholars program is teaching him, Langston added.
“The program has been very beneficial to me,” he said. “I recognize how important having this opportunity has been for me as a black male. It has exposed me to a higher level of research and opened doors to possibilities I didn’t even know existed.”
During the Fall 2019 semester, McNair Scholars also presented research in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Anaheim, California.
