As the midterm election approaches in November, Catherine Dierker 鈥�27 is asking a timely question: Can educators better prepare young people to participate in democracy?

An 黑料不打烊 history major with teacher licensure from Marietta, Georgia, Dierker鈥檚 research focuses on improving civic engagement among young voters. She will present her findings during the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April 28.

鈥淐onsidering that the youth turnout rate is so low, what can we do to make students feel prepared and make them feel like when they graduate, they can make a difference?鈥� she said.

Dierker鈥檚 interest in research grew through 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Teaching Fellows program, where she developed an inquiry project that eventually evolved into her SURF presentation.

鈥淚鈥檝e always really been very curious,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was something that I was interested in, but then given the opportunity to develop.鈥�

Her project examines effective practices in civics education, drawing from national and international data, teacher interviews and existing scholarship. While her findings reveal no single solution, they point to three key strategies that can help foster civic engagement among students.

鈥淭he first being to embrace controversy,鈥� Dierker explained. 鈥淧eople shy away from trying to tackle big subjects that are a little controversial, but it鈥檚 what makes people engaged. It fires people up, and passionate people are going to act.鈥�

In addition, her research highlights the importance of promoting civic agency, helping students feel that their voices matter, and incorporating service learning into classrooms.

鈥淎llowing people to get out in their local community and do a semester-long project really demonstrates to them that they have made a difference,鈥� she said.

Dierker emphasized that her work is less about prescribing a single method and more about offering a framework for educators.

鈥淭here鈥檚 not one thing that we can say to all teachers, do this and all of your students will go out and vote,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut if we apply these strategies, we will see a lot better turnout and results from our civic education.鈥�

Her research process combined large-scale data analysis with qualitative insights. She examined U.S. census data, compared state-level education practices and reviewed studies from both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Mentored by Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Carrie Eaves, Dierker said the experience has been both academically rigorous and personally meaningful.

鈥淪he鈥檚 fantastic,鈥� said Dierker of Eaves. 鈥淚t鈥檚 those little connections that were nice to talk about and then really dive into the details of the research.鈥�

During SURF Day, all other campus activities are suspended so the 黑料不打烊 community can come together around students鈥� creative endeavors and research efforts. Undergraduate research is also one of the five 黑料不打烊 Experiences, which provides a natural extension of the work students do in the classroom and ensure that 黑料不打烊 graduates are prepared for both graduate school and careers. Although this will be her first time presenting at SURF, Dierker is looking forward to sharing her work.

鈥淚鈥檓 nervous, but I鈥檓 excited. I鈥檓 really passionate about it. I love talking about things that I鈥檓 passionate about,鈥� she said.

As she prepares for a future in the classroom, Dierker hopes her research will help shape how civics is taught and how students see their role in society.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a framework to guide how we go about education and how we go about interacting with our community and with our nation,鈥� she said.

The Center is advising participants in their new , an initiative by Project Pericles that is designed to encourage universities to participate in civic engagement endeavors through multimedia projects. These storytelling projects will showcase 鈥済rassroots changemaking鈥� that strengthens agency, builds community partnerships, and fosters democratic conversations.

The fellowship’s goals closely align with the mission of the Center and its support of the Power+Place Collaborative. Since 2018, the collaborative has worked with residents across Alamance County to collect oral history, create digital stories and examine the memories and stories of people who have shaped the community.

Lake, along with design catalysts Berenice Sanches-Rosaldo and Andrea Camo Conde, and community partner James Shields Jr., the manager of the African American Cultural Arts and History Center, helped lead the consulting workshop.

Lake, Shields, Sanches-Rosaldo and Camo Conde helped participants think through three different ways to advocate for systemic change through storytelling. These frameworks explored strategic storytelling, investigative follow-up, and activating community action. The Center advised the Project Pericles attendees to follow these methods since the Center and its Power+Place Collaborative use storytelling as a means to build trust across our community.

The Center will continue to consult Project Pericles鈥� Civic Story Lab Fellowship throughout the spring and summer.

Added to the chapter鈥檚 roster were 59 undergraduates, 12 graduate students, and two alumni.

The keynote address was delivered by Jana-Lynn Patterson, associate vice president for Student Life and dean of Student Health & Well-Being. PKP Officers April Post, president; Erin Hone, secretary and treasurer; Rhonda Belton and Barry Bradberry, alumni relations; and Kaelyn Elien, student vice president, also took part in the ceremony. Kaelyn shared an update about a meal swipe campaign being organized by student vice president Abi Colburn to raise funds for Feed the Hunger. Post announced that undergraduate Mira Fitch’s Fellowship application was selected for the national PKP competition.

JimmiAnne Lowe Ellington ’12 was inducted into the chapter by Barry Bradberry, former associate dean of admissions and special assistant to the president. JimmiAnne, a fourth-generation licensed funeral director with Lowe Funeral Home, has spent the past decade compassionately serving families while becoming a trusted presence in her community. Alongside her professional leadership and historic role in the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association, she remains deeply committed to outreach and family, creating meaningful community events and making a lasting impact through service and care.

Sandra Bays ’99 was inducted into the chapter by Rhonda Belton, associate director of institutional research. Sandra was honored for her more than four decades of impactful service as an educator, coach, and community leader, shaping programs and mentoring students across Alamance County and 黑料不打烊. Her career spans teaching, coaching, and innovative program development, from leading school initiatives and youth athletics to creating community-focused programs in residence life, earning her multiple awards and lasting influence.

The group visited UNC-Asheville’s Lookout Observatory. Student docents and Britt Lundgren from UNCA were the hosts. Even though it was cloudy at first, the sky cleared enough to observe Jupiter and its moons, some galaxies, and nebulae. The group managed to work on a hike to Catawba Falls before returning to campus. 黑料不打烊 faculty members Zack Hutchens and Martin Kamela accompanied the group.

Wente鈥檚 research examines the relationship between music, performance, composition, and technology, particularly in relation to the player piano. She explores these topics in her 2022 book, “The Player Piano and Musical Labor: The Ghost in the Machine.” In the article, she offers a perspective on historical and contemporary questions of authorship, authenticity, and creativity, highlighting how emerging technologies continue to reshape the ways music is created, performed and experienced.

In March and early April, Walls travelled to NEOMA Business School, a partner school for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. During the program, she worked with the students to develop skills in data visualization and storytelling using Power BI, helping them translate complex data.

The course emphasized real-world application, allowing students to practice building dashboards, structuring data narratives and presenting findings in a business context.

Walls joined 黑料不打烊 in the fall of 2024. She teaches courses focused on data-driven decision-making, and her research focuses on social media鈥檚 impact on corporate reputation, AI ethics and the evolving role of technology in business.

Related Articles

• Strategic multifaith engagement shapes the 黑料不打烊 campus experience
• 黑料不打烊 welcomes ninth class of Multifaith Scholars

At 黑料不打烊, faculty say preparing students means helping them understand the people they will interact with throughout their lives, and that includes the influence of faith and religious identity.

That commitment to multifaith understanding is a primary goal of the university鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan, which strives to 鈥渟upport opportunities for multifaith learning and engagement for all members of the academic community.鈥�

鈥満诹喜淮蜢肉�檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan is a promise to our students, faculty, staff and the wider community that we will take them seriously as whole, complex people,鈥� said Brian Pennington, director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society.

The multifaith experience

The Multifaith Scholars Program is a two-year program, founded in 2016, that emphasizes interdisciplinary learning as student scholars undertake original research projects and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multireligious societies.

鈥淥ur work is richer when we have students bringing questions from their own disciplines,鈥� said Amy Allocco, director of the program and professor of religious studies. 鈥淚t is a sign of a vibrant campus ecosystem when not only students but also their mentors can see their interests and expertise 聽intersect with questions of interreligious contact, religion and society.鈥�

Allocco says that the breadth of disciplines represented by students and mentors participating in the program has widened each year. The current cohort includes students with diverse majors such as psychology, theatrical design, history, economics consulting, political science, religious studies, and international and global Studies. Owen Hayes 鈥�26, a history major with minors in political science and religious studies, is a 2024-2026 Multifaith Scholar studying the historical and contemporary relationship between Christian missionaries and Indigenous Australians.

鈥淚’ve always been interested in understanding the interreligious encounters of the world, like global Christianity and understanding how different communities can come together and understand such an important religious concept in such different, varying ways, but still have that belief of Christianity,鈥� Hayes said.

The interreligious studies minor also allows students to analyze the historical and contemporary encounters between and interactions among religious communities and traditions.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� has done incredible work in enfranchising multifaith as an academic as well as a student affairs initiative and aligning and even blending those areas in meaningful ways that enhance the student experience,鈥� Allocco said.

Multifaith in the classroom (and clinic)

In the Department of Nursing, faculty don鈥檛 just train future healthcare professionals on specific medical assessments but, as Assistant Professor of Nursing Lori Hubbard says, they 鈥減repare students for the diversity in the populations they will serve,鈥� including religion.

鈥淒iversity in people is understanding their religious background, because religious practices are often infused into health practices and health beliefs,鈥� said Hubbard, who teaches the Healthcare Relationships course, which focuses on understanding diverse backgrounds in healthcare.

The course is just one component of the Department of Nursing鈥檚 commitment to equitable healthcare teaching, which is incorporated throughout the curriculum.

鈥淔rom birth to death and everywhere in between, the people that are going to be important in a person鈥檚 wellness or their healing may come from their church body,鈥� said Hubbard, who says they also want students to understand the role of the chaplain in a hospital setting. 鈥淧eople may have members of a church congregation bring them meals, they may have pastors and friends visit to pray with them. A person’s support network is a social determinant of health.鈥�

In December 2025, a faculty team consisting of Pennington, Jeanmarie Koonts, assistant professor of nursing; Molly Green, assistant professor of public health, and Helen Orr, assistant professor of religious studies, was awarded a $60,000 Faith & Health Campus Grant from Interfaith America to promote awareness of how religious diversity impacts healthcare space and medical decision-making.

Engineering a multifaith course

Along with nursing, several 黑料不打烊 courses across disciplines integrate multifaith understanding. Orr is co-teaching a new course, Engineering A Better World, with Professor of Engineering Sirena Hargrove-Leak on ethical practices in engineering.

鈥淩eligion is an important category for a lot of people, and it informs not only beliefs, but also everyday practice and ritual, including when people fast, how they dress and how they interact in professional spaces,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淥ne of our sessions in the course focuses on the value of multi-faith spaces in professional working environments. Those spaces can be beneficial both for religious people and non-religious people, while also encouraging us to think about how environments themselves can be designed to be more inclusive.鈥�

Hargrove Leak says the engineering curriculum requires an ethics course and, historically, faculty advised students to choose an ethics course through the Core Curriculum. The downside, she says, is they may not connect what they’re learning to engineering practice. This new course, she says, connects the dots directly.

鈥淭he work of engineering professionals has the potential to impact people directly; therefore, ethical practice is critically important,鈥� said Hargrove-Leak.

Communicating religion

While Orr and Hargrove-Leak鈥檚 course is new this semester, Professor of Journalism Anthony Hatcher has been studying and teaching the intersection of religion and media for more than 20 years. His course Religion and Media analyzes how the two interact through media coverage of religious issues and themes, religion’s use of television and the Internet and media portrayals of religious people and traditions.

Hatcher began teaching the course in 2003, coming from a longtime interest in the intersection of the two subjects.

鈥淚t has always sparked my interest how religion intersects not only with a news item, but how it intersects with popular culture,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 tell my students, 鈥業f there is a secular entity of some sort, there is a religious corollary to it.鈥欌��

Finding religious connections in culture is endless for Hatcher, who says he never runs out of material for the course. For one assignment, students must attend a house of worship outside of their own faith and do a research project on the experience. The projects range from more well-known religious practices to lesser-known, like a student who visited a coven of witches in Hillsborough, North Carolina

鈥淚 make it clear: this is not a religion class. I’m not here to teach you about the scripture,鈥� Hatcher said. 鈥淲hen they go (to these houses of worship), it’s not just a religious thing. I say, 鈥榃hat kind of media did they use? Do they have cameras? Do they have a single microphone? Do they use screens and slides? Is it a majestic organ? What are you seeing there? Did they give you a paper program? Everything that’s media.鈥� It gets them thinking about all the mediated ways that they experience religion.鈥�

The course is open to all majors, and Hatcher says it can be relevant for all professions.

鈥淭he subject matter is so important,鈥� Hatcher said. 鈥淚t’s like how study abroad is mind-broadening. I think understanding where somebody else comes from, especially if faith is a big part of who they are, is a big deal.鈥�

And for Pennington, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 approach to multifaith learning is an example for others to follow.

鈥淲e live in a moment where we can clearly see that the faith commitments and religious practices interact with our global politics, our legal systems, our media environments, and our healthcare systems,鈥� said Pennington. 鈥淏y attending to multifaith education across academic departments and programs, 黑料不打烊 is leading the way in preparing its students for a rapidly evolving world.鈥�

This story is part of a series of stories focusing on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan.聽

The strategic communications major鈥檚 work centers on a multi-platform outreach strategy that blends grassroots engagement with a six-week, workbook-driven workshop. Her project, 鈥淒esigning Accessible Wellness: A Community Health Intervention Campaign for Alamance County Inspired by Blue Zones,鈥� draws on research examining regions of the world where people live longer, healthier lives and translates those insights into practical solutions.

That approach is intentionally hands-on and community-focused. McGee鈥檚 campaign reaches people through tabling at local grocery stores, social media outreach and partnerships with local organizations, all aimed at increasing awareness and encouraging participation. At its core is a flexible workshop experience, which participants can complete in person or remotely, guiding them through topics such as movement, purpose, belonging, rest and diet.

鈥淚 wanted to create something that didn鈥檛 just inform people, but actually gave them the opportunity to build healthier habits in a supportive environment,鈥� McGee said. 鈥淏y narrowing my focus to a specific community, I realized I could design something more meaningful and impactful.鈥�

Her research reflects a broader understanding of health as both a personal and systemic issue 鈥� an idea that first drew her to the project. McGee said she was inspired to focus on Alamance County at a time when healthy living can feel increasingly out of reach, noting that nearly half of adults in the United States live with at least one chronic health condition and that everyday environments often make unhealthy choices the easiest ones.

Drawing on Blue Zones principles, McGee emphasizes that lasting change depends on environment, culture and access 鈥� not just individual willpower. That perspective shapes how she tailors her campaign locally, incorporating resources specific to Alamance County 鈥� from nearby hiking trails to community-based spaces 鈥� and encouraging participants to rethink how their surroundings influence daily habits.

The project has also reshaped McGee鈥檚 own understanding of what research can be.

鈥淲hile this started as a project for class, I have come to realize that this is something that could be real,鈥� the Sutton, Massachusetts, native said. 鈥淲orking through this project has made me feel capable and inspired to keep pursuing projects in life that can create change by starting small.鈥�

That sense of possibility is exactly what SURF is designed to highlight. As one of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 signature academic experiences, undergraduate research provides students with the opportunity to explore complex challenges while developing solutions that extend beyond the classroom.

For McGee, the hope is that her campaign does more than raise awareness. She wants it to spark a ripple effect.

鈥淩esearch from the Framingham Studies shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. We are influenced by our social circles,鈥� she said. 鈥淏y inspiring even a small subset of the population to take their health more seriously, it has the potential to shift behaviors across entire communities. The change starts small.鈥�

McGee鈥檚 research was mentored by Paula Rosinski, professor of English, as part of her multimedia authoring minor.

Hollyhock House at Barnsdall Art Park
Perched atop Olive Hill, the Hollyhock House stands as one of Frank Lloyd Wright鈥檚 most significant West Coast works and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the early 1920s for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the home represents Wright鈥檚 experimentation with blending architecture and environment, what he called 鈥渙rganic architecture.鈥�

Students explored the house鈥檚 Mayan Revival influences, geometric motifs and the iconic hollyhock flower design woven throughout the structure. The site offered a powerful introduction to how Los Angeles became a testing ground for architectural innovation, especially during a time when the city was rapidly expanding and redefining itself culturally.

Downtown Los Angeles: Layers of History and Movement
Traveling via the Los Angeles Metro, students experienced the city as Angelenos do, through its evolving public transit system,聽before diving into the heart of downtown.

Union Station –聽Opened in 1939, Union Station is often called the 鈥淟ast of the Great Railway Stations.鈥� Its architecture blends Spanish Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, and Art聽Deco styles, reflecting Los Angeles鈥檚聽layered cultural identity. Inside, students observed the grandeur of its waiting rooms, tiled聽floors, and wooden beam ceilings, symbols of a bygone era when rail travel defined urban movement.

Angels Flight – Just a short walk away, Angels Flight, the world鈥檚 shortest railway, offered insight into the city鈥檚 early 20th-century infrastructure. Originally built in 1901, the funicular once transported residents up Bunker Hill, a neighborhood that has since undergone dramatic redevelopment. Its preservation speaks to ongoing efforts to maintain pieces of Los Angeles鈥� historic fabric amid modernization.

Los Angeles City Hall & Chinatown
At City Hall, students discussed civic architecture and governance, noting the building鈥檚 Art Deco style and symbolic prominence in the LA skyline. Nearby Chinatown provided a contrasting cultural lens, highlighting immigrant histories, urban displacement and the evolution of ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles.

Olvera Street
Often referred to as the birthplace of Los Angeles, Olvera Street immerses visitors in Mexican-American heritage. Students explored its marketplace, murals and historic buildings while discussing the complexities of cultural preservation versus commercialization. The site reflects both celebration and simplification of heritage, an important conversation in art and public history.

Angelus Temple & Echo Park
In Echo Park, students visited Angelus Temple, a striking example of early 20th-century religious architecture and a cornerstone of the Foursquare Church movement founded by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Built in 1923, the temple reflects a blend of revivalist architecture and emerging media-savvy religious practices, as McPherson was one of the first to use radio to reach a national audience.

The surrounding Echo Park neighborhood added another layer to the visit, offering insight into how communities evolve over time. Once a streetcar suburb, Echo Park has transformed into a culturally vibrant area shaped by waves of immigration, artistic communities, and, more recently, gentrification. Together, the site and neighborhood sparked discussion on the intersection of faith, media and urban change.

The Gamble House
In Pasadena, students visited the Gamble House, a masterpiece of the American Arts and Crafts movement designed by architects Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene in 1908. Commissioned by the Procter & Gamble family, the home emphasizes craftsmanship, natural materials, and harmony with its surroundings.

Students examined intricate woodwork, custom furnishings, and the intentional use of light and space鈥攈allmarks of the Arts and Crafts philosophy, which emerged as a reaction against industrialization. The visit provided a striking contrast to Wright鈥檚 modernism, allowing students to compare different architectural responses to similar cultural shifts.

Looking ahead: Final excursions
As the semester continues, students will expand their exploration of聽the city鈥檚聽artistic and architectural landscape with one final site visit.
The course will conclude with a visit to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Celebrated for its sweeping stainless-steel forms and innovative acoustics, the building stands as a defining example of contemporary architecture in Los Angeles. Here, students will consider how modern design continues to push artistic and structural boundaries while shaping the city鈥檚 global cultural identity.

These excursions bring course themes to life, allowing students to critically engage with Los Angeles as a living museum. From early 20th-century architectural movements to the layered cultural histories embedded in downtown neighborhoods and beyond, each site offers a unique perspective on how art and environment shape one another.

By navigating the city firsthand, students not only deepen their understanding of art history but also develop a stronger connection to LA itself鈥攊ts stories, its communities and its ever-evolving identity.

The immersive Study USA Los Angeles semester and summer experiences offer students opportunities for alumni engagement, community service, unique academic classes with industry professionals and site-based experiential learning. .

Pous’s talk was part of a much larger week of events that included other research presentations, cultural events, and public talks, with an epicenter in a huge street demonstration that took place on March 24 throughout the country. The massive mobilization commemorates the day on which the dictatorship started in 1976, and brought together political activists and groups, as well as cultural spectacles and common citizens, to remember the dark years of the dictatorship, so as not to repeat them again. Under the cry of Nunca Mas! (Never again), the people maintain a culture of memory despite the attempt of the current government to dismantle the human rights platform that makes it possible.

In the context of the Cold War, Argentina, like most Latin American countries during the 60s, 70s and 80s, went through a period of military dictatorships that targeted political opponents with the financial and political support from the U.S. From 1976 to 1983, Argentina was under a military dictatorship that utilized irregular methods of repression against its own population. Following the lesson learned at the School of the Americas, the military regime created a system of clandestine centers of detention in which political opponents were brought after being kidnapped in the streets, their workplaces or in their homes. Once in these clandestine prisons, they were tortured, treated with minimum care, uncommunicated from their family members, and most of them were killed and their bodies disappeared. It is calculated that 30,000 people disappeared under this system of repression.

Since the return of democracy in 1983, there has been a grassroots collective effort to recompose the social link by fomenting a culture of memory in the country under the banner of Not forget, not forgive (Ni Olvido ni Perd贸n). Throughout the years, different human rights organizations worked along with state officials, international support groups, and local community organizations to persecute the criminal legally (over 1000 were already condemned), build and maintain several sites of memory, and provide retribution to the people affected directly and indirectly by it.

Pous’s talk emphasized this collective effort to cultivate a culture of memory across different generations. For Pous, 鈥渢he task of memory today is an intergenerational endeavor that requires to be open ot listen to the questions and concerns of the new generations.” In his talk, he focused on key cultural products like the films “The Official History” (1985) and “Argentina 1985” (2022) as well as the fiction books “La casa de los conejos” (2006) and “Diario de una princesita Montonera” (2012) to highlight the public debates around postdictatorship democracy that have fed the culture of memory in the country.

Earlier in the week, Pous presented his book, Eventos Carcelarios (UNC Press, 2022), at the University of El Salvador for an audience of professors and graduate students. He delivered a talk about the novel “El beso de la mujer ara帽a” (Puig 1976) in conjunction with a historical analysis of the liberation of political prisoners in 1973, at the return of a seven-year dictatorship that preluded the most horrific one mentioned above. His talk focused on the 鈥渃onnection between an historical event that was lived as if it was the revolution, but it turned out to be the beginning of the defeat of the revolutionary project鈥�. For Pous, the prison cell became 鈥渁 singular place of reflection and self-critique鈥� that the novel depicts in detail to reimagine the possibility of a radical imagination today.