In 1996, Dr. Carl D. Cavalli and Dr. Brian M. Murphy, both NGCSU political-science faculty members, created the Honors Day Academic Conference. Its purpose was to reward and showcase the academic abilities of NGCSU students. The conference is now known as the UNG Annual Research Conference. The 2015 conference‑‑the 20th annual conference‑‑took place from March 30 to April 2 of this year on three campuses of the University of North Georgia. The Department of Political Science and International Affairs was well represented with seven presentations from our students:

● Elizabeth DeWaard: “The Damaging Effects of Gender Roles in The Bell Jar and ‘The Yellow Wallpaper.’”

● Reagan Griggs: “The Evolution of the Image of the First Lady.”

● Graham Sibley: “The Rise of China Through the Lens of Realism.”

● Darrelyn Thomas: “Promoting Women’s Representation through Gender Quotas.”

● Darrelyn Thomas, Reagan Griggs, and Lauren Hill: “Political Participation Among UNG Students.”

● Darrelyn Thomas, Reagan Griggs, and Emily Mastronardo: “The Media’s Impact on Congressional Elections.”

● Zachary Trippe: “Was the Grass Really Greener on the Other Side?”

Elizabeth deserves special congratulations as the runner-up for Best Presentation at the Dahlonega-campus conference.