Sociology student wins first place award in the Diversity Research Showcase
January 29, 2026 - Karessa Weir
MSU Sociology third-year student Alana Mapp took home the top prize in this year’s 9th Annual Diversity Research Showcase hosted by the MSU Honors College.
Mapp won first place and $750 in the poster category for her research with Kellsey Hall entitled “RCAH Sister Circle as a Third Space: How Does Sister Circle Impact the Sense of Belonging in Women and Women of Color at Predominately White Institutions Like MSU?”
“The purpose of this research project is to observe the RCAH Sister Circle's effectiveness in creating a safe third space for women of color in a predominantly white institution and the transition of the space cultivated based on administrative attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Questions this project aims to answer are: How does third spaces like RCAH Sister Circle foster a safe environment for participants? How can mentoring programs effectively organize and advertise when there are restrictions and regulations on language? To what extent did the implications of not programming for protected identities impact student engagement in community focused programming like the Sister Circle? And in what ways did the effectiveness of RCAH Sister Circle’s goals change? The data used to answer these questions consisted of interviews with RCAH Sister Circle members, feedback forms, and attendance.”
In addition to her Sociology major, Mapp is majoring in Arts and Humanities and is a member of the Honors College. Hall is a third-year student in Arts and Humanities. Their research mentors were Drs. Tama Hamilton-Wray and Sitara Thobani.
Mapp brought home fourth place at last year’s Diversity Research Showcase.
The Diversity Research Showcase provides undergraduate students space to discuss their research with peers, faculty, and staff in a supportive and constructive atmosphere.
This year included roughly 40 undergraduate participants across poster and oral presentation categories. Both Honors and non-Honors students brought new perspectives on research topics such as: fast fashion, art as medicine, prenatal care, modern supply chains, and AI breast cancer detection, among others.
Also presenting this year was Sociology and English major Roberto Garcia whose research was the “Complexities of the American ‘Latino Vote’ with research mentors Dr. John Waller and Michael Ristich. You can watch Roberto’s presentation here https://symposium.foragerone.com/drs2026/presentations/76819
Provost Laura Lee McIntyre, Ph.D., congratulated the presenters on “pushing the bounds of research and understanding, and leading the way to real-world impact.”
“Thank you to the Honors College and their campus-wide partners who have supported your work and helped make this opportunity possible,” said McIntyre in virtual remarks.
Erika Crews, the Honors College director of student success and community engagement, was a main organizer of the showcase.
“Diversity research helps us better understand the realities of our communities and the systems that shape them,” Crews said. “Especially now, funding this work is a meaningful investment in rigorous scholarship that informs practice and contributes to more equitable outcomes.”