Congratulations to George Mason University's New Century College's (NCC) Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research (OSCAR) winners for successfully completing their research projects. Along with around 50 other fall, 2013 OSCAR grantees, the seven NCC students discussed their work at two Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) presentations this past week.
NCC presenter Lela Ross, senior, whose topic involved conflict resolution and youth, described her research process, which included a workshop for elementary and middle-school aged children. The children were asked to share their perceptions and experiences with conflict by drawing diagrams which, along with the ensuing discussion, provided Ross with insight into their understanding of approaches to resolving conflict.
"The OSCAR grant was not only an opportunity to gain research experience in my field, it allowed me to address a topic that is very important to me,” said Ross. "One of my long-term goals for this project is to encourage local schools to adopt a similar preventative conflict resolution program in order to help make their institutions safer for all students. I hope to continue this project by helping youth address bullying.”
NCC OSCAR recipients and their faculty mentors are listed below:
| Elizabeth Bolt | Pamela Garner |
| Melissa Fuerst | Thomas Wood |
| Melissa Joe | Lisa Gring-Pemble |
| Lela Ross | Al Fuertes |
| Ariel Smith | Duhita Mahatmya |
| Jennifer Souther | Sylvia Vitazkova |
| Karin Swazya | Sylvia Vitazkova |
Read more about the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program presentations in this article from George Mason News: Undergraduate Research Takes Center Stage.