Maryland Scholars Summit Award Winners Announced

Harford Community College and Cecil College collaborated to host the Third Annual Maryland Scholars Summit at Harford Community College on April 29.

Designed as an interdisciplinary undergraduate conference for students from across community colleges in Maryland, the Summit attracted 73 attendees and featured more than 20 student presenters from Anne Arundel Community College, Carroll Community College, Cecil College, College of Southern Maryland, Community College of Baltimore County, Frederick Community College, Harford Community College, and Wor-Wic Community College. Three presenters were dual-enrolled students (high school students taking college courses).

Dr. Pamela Pape-Lindstrom, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs; Dr. Tony Wohlers, Dean, Behavioral and Social Sciences; and Professor Anne Shugars, Chair, Scholars Summit Conference Steering Committee; all from Harford Community College, welcomed participants and attendees to the Summit. Scholar presentations and Q & A sessions followed. In the afternoon, a Moderator/Alumni Panel facilitated by Harford Community College Professor Chris Jones, Coordinator of the College’s Honors Program, was held. The presentation of awards followed the panel discussion.

Prizes were awarded in the categories listed below:

Best Scientific Work was awarded to Raven Thompson-Scott (Harford Community College) for Sincerely Baltimore.

Honorable Mention for Best Scientific Work went to Jill Witkowski (Harford Community College) for Classical Education versus Traditional Education and the Transition to College.

Best Posterboard was awarded to Jillian Neuhof (Cecil College) for Wrongful Convictions and Exonerations with DNA: Freeing the Innocent.

Honorable Mention for Best Posterboard went to Makayla Butler (College of Southern Maryland) for Student Attitudes Toward Education.

Best Creative Work was awarded to Abigail Graham (Cecil College) for Aching for Motivation.

Honorable Mention for Best Creative Work went to Honors PSY 214 students Katherine Snodgrass, Alyssa Antonakos, Helen Cooper, Sakeena Winter, Keagan Neumann, and Jennifer Sherrick (Harford Community College) for Blue Zone Cookbook.

From a high-impact learning perspective, the Summit allowed undergraduate students, including dual enrolled students, to present a wide range of scholarly projects in front of their peers and mentors.

The conference was organized by a steering committee that included Anne Shugars, CFA (Harford Community College faculty); Dr. Ashley Fundack (Cecil College faculty); Jessica Delos Santos (Honors Program student); Jen Siddall, Dr. Paul Burkins, and Chris Jones (Harford Community College faculty); and Dean Tony Wohlers (Harford Community College).

Pictured (L to R): Harford Community College students Julia Dietz, Xiomara Bradden, Mokhina Ismailova and Kylah Keiser presented "Keys to Conservation" at the Maryland Scholars Summit. (Not pictured: Jessica Delos Santos) They described the work of nine Harford students who volunteered at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary as part of Harford's 2023 Alternative Spring Break Service Program.