Pictured (L-R): Andy (Alexis) Rashchynski ’25, Emalie Rell ’20, and Hannah Smith ’25
Two Elizabethtown College Sociology majors presented their research at the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) Annual Meeting on Friday, March 1 in Washington, D.C. Hannah Smith ’25 and Andy (Alexis) Rashchynski ’25 presented in an undergraduate student research poster session.
“The experience was a great chance to represent not only myself, but my mentors and Etown as a whole,” Smith said. “I was able to prove to myself and others that I understand my research and can respond to all questions being asked of myself and the research I presented.”
Rashchynski presented her paper, “High Time to Legalize: The Effects of Mental Health and Socioeconomic Status on Approval of the Legalization of Marijuana.” Smith’s paper, “The Frogs are Gay: The Effects of Religiosity and Age on Views of Sexual Minorities” received the Best Poster Award for her session at the ESS Awards Ceremony, a notable since it was a juried presentation. Her name and institution were announced immediately before the ESS Presidential Address.
Smith and Rashchynski both received Student Member research grants of $500 to present at ESS from the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society. Kozimor received a $300 Alpha Kappa Delta Chapter Representative Research Supplement Travel Grant to attend the conference.
“I’m happy we were able to go and present research we spent a whole year on because it was very rewarding,” Rashchynski said. “It was an honor to be able to present my hard work among professionals in my field as well as hear their advice and network.”
The students were accompanied by Etown Professor of Sociology Michele Lee Kozimor ’93, who has been mentoring and accompanying Etown students to the ESS Annual Meeting for more than 12 years. The duo spent time at the conference with Blue Jay alumnae Dr. Barbara Prince ’12, and Emalie Rell ’20, who each began their professional careers at ESS in the undergraduate student research poster session.
Dr. Prince is currently the Chair of the ESS Committee on Undergraduate Education and Rell, who won Best Poster at ESS in 2019, has now reached All But Dissertation (ABD) status in a Criminology doctoral program at the University of Delaware, where she works full-time as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Drug and Health Studies.
“I believe the conference is an important opportunity for building career readiness competencies, and I am extremely proud of the professionalism and communication skills displayed by Hannah and Andy at the conference,” Kozimor said. “I enjoy watching students experience the academic conference and connecting them with Sociology and Criminology alumni. It is fun to see multiple generations of Elizabethtown College students and alumni interact outside of the campus.”
About the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS)
The Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) aims to promote excellence in sociological scholarship and instruction. The ESS holds an annual academic conference where peer-published research can be presented.
