Student Research Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Nancy Allen writing award winners announced

September 11, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Department of English has announced the winners and finalists of the second annual Nancy Allen Research Writing Awards competition.

A committee, comprised of Missouri State faculty and graduate students who teach Writing II, selects the award winners and finalists. The committee received nearly 30 entries this year, according to Lori Rogers, senior instructor and Writing II coordinator.

Entries are submitted anonymously by Writing II faculty, Rogers explained. In turn, each faculty member can submit one paper per class section per semester. This year’s Writing II entries included works from seated, online and dual credit sections of ENG 210, ENG 221 and ENG 310.

“Having high-quality entries from such a variety of classes and student experiences is always a bonus, but it does make the selection process more challenging,” Rogers said. “Even those students who don’t ‘win’ walk away knowing their instructors found their writing worthy of being submitted.”

Paws to the Polls wins MSEED grant

July 20, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Paws to the Polls (PAWS) student organization has been awarded an Experiential Education for Student Development (MSEED) grant from the university’s strategic planning funding.

PAWS will use the MSEED grant during the Fall 2026 semester to conduct research on civic engagement and community involvement at Missouri State. Although the project will occur mostly on the university’s Springfield campus, other off-campus sites include the Greene County Election Center and area high schools. The group also plans to work with Leadership Springfield and the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC). NAC oversees all neighborhood associations in Springfield.

With the grant, PAWS will coordinate focus groups, surveys, workshops, a voting fair, voter education materials distribution and voter registration events. Later this fall, the students will compile and analyze the data they collect from these efforts.

Between 15-25 PAWS members and other students will participate in the program, according to Dr. Suzanne Walker-Pacheco, faculty advisor to the group. Additionally, another 120-150 student volunteers will eventually participate in the broader program. In all, Walker-Pacheco estimates, the project will reach anywhere from 3,000-6,000 students.

Judy Awards presented at fifth annual ceremony, honors outstanding achievements

May 19, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) celebrated its fifth annual Judy Awards May 6, 2026, at The Old Glass Place.

The event honors the legacy of Judith Enyeart Reynolds by recognizing the achievements of faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends within the RCASH community.

Once again, Associate Dean Jake Simmons opened the ceremony. Announcing this year’s award winners were hosts Dr. Julia Troche and Dr. Perry Mears. Dean Shawn Wahl presented the Dean’s Awards.

Student groups earn Dean’s Champion and Distinction honors

Among this year’s Dean’s Champion Award winners were two student groups who have upheld Missouri State’s public affairs mission while demonstrating academic excellence.

Winners included the Missouri State Model United Nations team, along with their sponsor, Dr. Ashley Leinweber. The ARKTOS Saxophone Quartet, along with their sponsor, Dr. Matthew Tracy, were also recognized.

The Dean’s Award of Distinction honor went to the Missouri State Pride Marching Band, along with its directors and sponsors: Dr. Brad Snow, John Sullivan, Maxine Sullivan, Chris Church, Amy Perkins, and the band’s Drum Majors.

Dean’s Legacy Awards recognize English faculty

This year, the Dean’s Legacy Awards went to three retiring faculty members from the Department of English: Dr. Linda Moser, Tracy Dalton and John Turner.

Dalton and Turner recognized as outstanding senior instructors

Wahl honored Tracy Dalton and John Turner for their efforts as senior instructors.

The pair received the award because of “the long-term impact they have had in defining the rank of Senior Instructor,” Wahl said. Their legacy, he noted, has been “defined by innovative pedagogy and a commitment to service.”

“They have enhanced the academic environment for both faculty and students alike through exemplary teaching and service,” Wahl said.

Moser’s “visible and profound” influence praised

The third Legacy Award recipient was Dr. Linda Moser, professor of English and former department head.

“Linda is the kind of leader who never needed to announce her presence to be felt,” Wahl said. “As department head of English, she led from within—by example, with care and with a humility that made everyone around her better.”

Wahl expressed admiration and gratitude for Moser’s research, teaching and leadership accomplishments.

“Linda, you have left a legacy here that will endure,” Wahl said. “You are an example for how leaders can build a culture of trust, respect and excellence.”

Esteemed alumna Susan LaBarr honored

This year’s Dean’s Award for outstanding alumni went to Susan LaBarr.

LaBarr earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Master of Music in Music Theory from Missouri State University. She studied with now emeritus professors Dr. Peter Collins and Dr. John Prescott. She also sang in the Missouri State Chorale under the direction of Dr. Guy Webb.

Now, LaBarr is not only an editor at Walton Music, the premier publishing house for choral music, she is also a highly sought-after composer, having recently completed a composer-in-residence assignment at Carnegie Hall in New York.

“Her compositions are performed by all-state choirs, Grammy-winning professional choirs, school, church, and community choirs and everything in between,” Wahl said when announcing LaBarr’s award. “Aside from her incredible musical ability, perhaps the greatest attribute that everyone always talks about is her kind heart and genuine care for those people around her.”

Awards commemorate Reynolds’ legacy

Named in honor of Reynolds, a dedicated staff member and role model for many years in the English department, the Judy Awards cover a variety of contributions to the college, ranging from traditional awards in teaching, research and service to those that recognize collaboration and other efforts that highlight the pillars of the University’s public affairs mission.

Except for the Dean’s awards categories, winners were nominated either by their peers or self-nominated, then selected by representatives from each academic department serving on the Judy Awards selection committee.

Graduate students attend American Academy of Religion regional conference

May 14, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Four graduate students from the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions (LCR) presented their research at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) Midwest regional conference April 16-18.

Religious Studies MA students Hezekiah Harrison, Ashley Jones, Michael Perez, and Seth Weidman attended the 2026 conference at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Associate Professor Vadim Putzu accompanied the students to the conference. Putzu currently serves as chair of the Study of Judaism section of the Midwest AAR.

The AAR is the largest scholarly society for the academic study of religion, according to Putzu. The Midwest regional conference is especially vibrant, he noted, as it attracts hundreds of scholars at all career stages each year.

“It was a great opportunity not only for our students to share their ongoing research, receive relevant feedback, and keep up-to-date with current scholarship, but also for our faculty to network and to recruit,” Putzu said.

From 2021 to 2025, Missouri State University hosted the Midwest regional conference, Putzu added.

History graduate students Elayna Eastin and Sarah Land present research at regional PAT conference

May 4, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Elayna Eastin and Sarah Land, two MA students from Missouri State University’s Department of History, recently presented their research at the regional Phi Alpha Theta (PAT) conference.

The conference was held March 14 at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Phi Alpha Theta is the national History Honor Society.

This year’s conference theme was “250 Years of US and the World.”

Papers highlight American role in world affairs

Eastin and Land selected topics that highlight America’s role in world affairs, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For both students, this was their first time to present at a professional history conference.

“As the faculty advisor for PAT, I was so proud of both students for the excellent presentations they delivered,” said Assistant Professor Chelsea Davis.

Eastin discussed her research on 19th-century Yokohama, Japan. In “Harbor Of Change: The Social And Cultural Whirlwind of 19th-Century Yokohama,” she shows how after 1859 the port city became an international trade center by developing a robust tourism industry.

Now in her first year of graduate studies at Missouri State, Eastin also works as an archivist at the State Historical Society of Missouri. Long term, she is also considering furthering her education at the doctorate level.

Meanwhile, Land presented a historiographical paper, “World War I and Wilson: America’s Place in Global History.” Her paper explored how scholarship on America’s influence during the post-World War I era has changed over the past 30 years.

Land, who will graduate this spring, hopes to one day pursue a doctorate in history.