Five students present at the annual conference of the Pop Culture Association South

MACON — Five Mercer University students presented at the 2022 Southern Popular Culture Association and Southern American Cultural Association (PCAS/ACAS) conference, held Oct. 13-15 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Along with the publication of two journals – Pop Culture Studies and Studies in American Culture – PCAS and ACAS meet annually to present and discuss ideas about popular culture, American culture, and culture around the world.

• Aylah Birksa sophomore in neuroscience from Dry Branch, presented “Liberation, Heroism, and Black Redemption: Having a Dream By Any Means Necessary.”
• Cameron Hutchins, a sophomore in Anthropology and Global Health Studies from Gwinnett County, presented “What’s So Wrong About Pink?” The modern effects of sexism in the world.
• Emma Kicklighter, a young neuroscience student from Blackshear, presented “Genetically Modified Organisms Can’t Harm, Or Can They?” » Jurassic Park and the dangers of GMOs.
• Mandia Robertsa sophomore in Global Health Studies and a Spanish double major from Nassau, Bahamas, presented “The plight of the race that bears the hate you give”.
• Laila Siyama sophomore kinesiology student from Rocky Face, presented “Evil Begets Evil: How Monsters Are Created.”

“Mercer does a fantastic job supporting student research,” said Dr. Kevin Cummings, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies and Theater Arts at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “I am delighted that we are able to help students who wish to share their work and incredibly proud of the work these five incredible students have done to present their findings.”

“It is a testament to the strength of Mercer students as researchers, Dr. Cummings as a teacher, and the rigor of the University’s Integrative Curriculum (INT) program that these five students were able to write essays in a classroom of class which, after some modifications and comments. , could take their place in the “big leagues” among graduate students and long-time scholars,” added Dr. Cameron Kunzelman, Deputy Director of Fellowships and Co-Director of the Communication Theory Research Laboratory. “I’m very proud of these students for presenting at a major professional academic conference like the Pop Culture Association South.”

About the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic cornerstone of one of America’s oldest and most distinctive institutions of higher education. The oldest and largest of Mercer’s 12 schools and colleges, it is a diverse and vibrant community, with more than 1,900 students, dedicated to learning and service through the practice of intellectual curiosity, respectful dialogue and responsible citizenship. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers majors in more than 30 fields of study, including more than a dozen pre-professional academic streams, with courses taught by an exceptional faculty. In 2015, Mercer received a chapter from the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society that recognizes outstanding achievement in the arts and sciences. For more information, visit liberalarts.mercer.edu.