By SAVANNAH TOREBKA
Managing Editor
The 2023-2024 Journal of Undergraduate Research was published earlier this month, featuring research papers by Saint Rose students and their respective professors. As a way to celebrate the extensive research done by students at Saint Rose, the journal showcases the very best work submitted by students. This is the final edition of the journal before Saint Rose’s closure.
“The first issue was published in Spring 2010. I developed the project because I taught our department’s capstone course in Fall 2007, and had so many excellent papers,” said Ryane Straus, the initial founder of the journal.
“I founded it and submitted the idea to the administration at the time. They were very supportive. I developed an editorial board, and served as Editor for the first four years,” she said.
The final edition of the Journal for Undergraduate Research includes work submitted by students Marialuisa Berghela, Cara Janowksy, Kyla Mayberry, Jacob Scofield, McKenzie Vondras, and Peyton DeRouen. In conjunction with their professors, each student submitted in-depth analyses on their selected research topic.
The process from creating a research proposal, to gathering data, to submitting drafts for acceptance into the journal is a tumultuous one. Students work for months at a time to ensure that their entries are both interesting and informative.
“In the psychology department, you often spend research methods 1 coming up with an idea for your study and then in research methods 2 you execute the study,” said McKenzie Vondras, in her submission analyzing the correlation between childhood food insecurity and disordered eating.
“From start to final acceptance it took me about three and a half semesters,” said Kyla Mayberry about her article discussing emo subculture and self identity. “One semester for the original research and another for additional research added.”
Once a student’s work is accepted into the journal for publication, the entry must be peer-reviewed and approved by a board of faculty members that collaboratively work on the project.
“Students would submit their essays in the correct format to the Journal by a specific date, and wait. Waiting is the hardest part, but this is the period where the faculty reviewers do their work of assessing the essays in terms of their disciplinary concerns and conventions,” said May Chan of the editorial staff. “The reviewer comments and the overall assessment of how much revision the essay would need before publication are then returned to the student authors. At that point it is the student author’s decision as to how much work they want to put into making revisions, as some will have to do more than others before the essay can be published…This part of the process can take weeks sometimes.”
While the journey of having a student’s work go from a simple idea to a deeply established research case analysis is time consuming and stressful, the honor of having one’s work published in the journal is an honor for those selected.
“This opportunity has meant a lot to me. It has allowed me to share something that interests me and that I worked really hard on with other people,” Vondras said.
“It’s been really nice to have my work validated and proved to me that I am good at the things I do,” said Mayberry.
Both students and faculty take great pride in the work the Journal of Undergraduate Research has presented over the last fourteen years.
“I feel the final journal issue represents beautifully the “Thy Dear Neighbor” philosophy which is what the founding Sisters of St. Joseph established in 1920.” said Ann Neilson of the board. “The “Thy Dear Neighbor” philosophy encourages students to share what they have learned at the college with anyone who crosses their paths, especially those in need.”
With this being the final edition of the Journal of Undergraduate Research to ever be published, students remain proud of their work and grateful for the opportunity to participate. They are hopeful for the future that this honor has presented to them.
“I plan to try and get my research from my senior seminar class after I’m done with it. Possibly at another school or with another journal,” said Vondras.
“I would do this again if I had the chance. Despite being a demanding process, it was very rewarding.” Mayberry said.
As the closure of Saint Rose comes closer, this final publication of the Journal of Undergraduate Research represents hours of hard work, dedication, and provides positive memories for those involved.
