The John W. Adams Summer Scholars Program in Socio-legal Studies provides opportunities for students to work in close collaboration with faculty members as full participants in the design and execution of a socio-legal studies research project.

Previous Award Recipients

Silvia Carias Centeno ’25, "Suffrage Chronicles: Stories of Courage in the Struggle for Black Voting Rights in the North." Research assistant track with mentor Professor Ric Sheffield.

Emma Covino ’25, “Mapping the Drift: Law School’s Influence on Public Interest Careers.” Research assistant track with mentor Professor Kyla Bender-Baird.

Pritish Das ’24, "Toward a Sociogenic Understanding of Reparations: An Analysis of Japanese American Reparations and Kochiyama's Praxis." Summer Research track with mentor Professor Khadene Harris.

Amelia Kovach ’25, "Trans Legal Cultural Competence." Research assistant track with mentor Professor Kyla Bender-Baird.

Lee Nah ’25, “Infusing Mental Health Supports in Youth Intervention Pathways (YIP) at the Chicago Department of Public Health." Internship track with mentor Professor Margaret Stevenson.

Christian Picott ’25. Research assistant track with mentor Professor Margaret Stevenson.

Gabby Rachman ’24, “Mock Jurors' Attributions for an Adolescent’s Coerced Confession.” Original research track with mentor Professor Margaret Stevenson.

Madeline Russell ’24, "Juvenile Mental Health Court in Knox County." Research assistant track with mentor Professor Abbie Erler.

Marissa Sun ’25: “Understanding Jurors' Decisions in a Mock Trial Involving Self-Inflicted Abortion: Effects of Defendant Race and Abortion Attitudes.“ Original research track with mentor Professor Margaret Stevenson. 

Alison Buckley, American Studies'23; Internship Track, Faculty Mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Landscape Analysis of Juvenile Justice Policy in California”

Theresa Carr, Political Science major ’23; Research Assistant Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology and International Studies), “Interrogation Agents of Exception: Narratives of Border Patrol Agents in Ohio”

Aidan Constant, Psychology major ’23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Margaret Stevenson (Psychology), “The Impact of Compassion Fatigue on Racially Disparate Police Brutality”

Emma Covino, Undeclared '25; Research Assistant Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Kyla Bender-Baird (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Representing Trans Justice” 

Grace Cox, Psychology major and Spanish major '23; Research Assistant Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Margaret Stevenson (Psychology), “The Experiences of Marginalized Persons Facing Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System”

Garrett Culbertson, Political Science major ’23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), “Good Neighbors: The Growing Role of Private Citizens in Law Enforcement” 

Dana Diallo, American Studies major and Women's & Gender Studies '23; Research track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Gilda Rodriguez (Women and Gender Studies), “An Analysis of the Phenomenon of ‘Sugar Dating’ in a critique of the Criminalization of Sex Work in the United States”

Henry Haley Goldman, American Studies '23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Francis Gourrier (American Studies and History), “Examining the Role of the FBI Surveillance and Undermining American Civil Rights Movements, Organizations, and Activists” 

Joe Goldstein, Political Science major ’23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), “An Examination of Legal Case Studies of Unionization and Organized Labor in the Esports and Video Gaming Arena” 

Natalia Hernandez, Women's & Gender Studies '23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), “The Reach of Labor Law and Anti-discrimination Statutes in the U.S. Restaurant Industry” 

Bo Huang, Undeclared '25; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Alexandra Bradner (Philosophy), “What Difference Should Social Status Markers Make in the College Admission Process in the U.S.?”

Lucien Kisch, American Studies'23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Toward a Social History of Women in Law in Knox County, Ohio”

Caitlin Kollins, American Studies'23; Internship Track, Faculty Mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Responding to a Pandemic While Behind Bars”

Madeline Russell, Economics major and Political Science major ’24; Research Assistant Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), “Observing the Workings of the Knox County Juvenile Mental Health Court” 

Amelia Saffold, Undeclared '25; Research Assistant Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Melissah Pawlikowski (History), “Constructing an ‘Indian Race’” 

Marissa Sun, Undeclared '25; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Margaret Stevenson (Psychology), “Does Highlighting Racial Disparities in Abortion Reduce Support for Abortion Rights Legislation?” 

Happy Wang, Psychology major ’23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Margaret Stevenson (Psychology), “COVID Vaccination as a Predictor of Anti-Chinese Hate Crime Case Judgments: Exploring Evolutionary and Ideological Theoretical Mechanisms” 

Brookie Wilkens, Music major and Spanish major '23; Research Track, Faculty Mentor - Professor Kyla Bender-Baird (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Looking at the Potential Impact of Ohio House Bill 4 on the State Child Welfare System’s Handling of Investigations of Childhood Abuse and Neglect Cases”

Gideon Adjei, American Studies major ’23, “Incidents of Sexual Assault and Discrepancies in Reported Cases in Ghana,” Faculty Mentor – Gary Lee (Legal Studies and Sociology)

Hannah Bachman, American Studies major ’22, “The Decline of the Socialist Party of Ohio during the First Red Scare,” Faculty Mentor – Frankie Gourrier (History)

Nicholas Becker, Political Science major ’22, “American Labor Law, Governance of U.S. Labor Unions, and Revitalization of the Labor Movement,” Faculty Mentor – Abbie Erler (Political Science)

Alison Buckley, American Studies major ’23, research assistant; Faculty Mentor – Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), “Examining Legal Consciousness Within Rural America,”

Aaliyah Daniels, English major ’23, “Extra-legalization of Lynching: How Fear Dehumanizes the Entire Black Race,” Faculty Mentor – Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology)

James DiSandro, Philosophy and Drama double major ’22, “Truth or Justice? Putting the U.S. Legal System to an Epistemological Test,” Faculty Mentor – Alexandra Bradner (Philosophy)

Mo Kamara, Sociology major ’22, “Do International Courts Operate with Bias in Mind?” Faculty Mentor – Marla Kohlman (Sociology)

Caitlin Kollins, American Studies major ’23, internship – Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (New Orleans, La.) Faculty Mentor – Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology)

Sarah Pazen, Modern Languages and Literature major ’22; “The Public is the Problem: ‘Gross Indecency’ and the Malayan ‘Sexual Perversion’ Cases; Faculty Mentor – Gary Lee (Legal Studies and Sociology)

Grace Peterson, Political Science major ’22; “Institutional Context and the Construction of Consent Through Evidentiary Practices,” Faculty Mentor – Gary Lee (Legal Studies and Sociology)

Nicole Predina, Political Science major ’22; “Community-based Research in a Juvenile Criminal Justice Environment,” research assistant; Faculty Mentor – Abbie Erler (Political Science)

Logan Reimbold-Thomas, Political Science major ’22; “When Opponents of Policies Choose to Engage in Post-enactment Politics,” Faculty Mentor – Abbie Erler (Political Science)

Jack Seasholtz, Economics major ’22; “An Exploration of Ethiopian and U.S. Antiquities Law,” Faculty Mentor – Brad Hostetler (Art History)

 

Hannah Bachman, American Studies major '22, research assistant; Faculty Mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies), “Prosecuting voting fraud cases, a state-by-state survey and inventory; discovering cases of voting fraud with case dispositions in any and every jurisdiction within the U.S. Legal Landscape of the Rural Midwest”

Nour Bouhassoun English major '20; research assistant; Faculty Mentor - Jason Waller (Philosophy), The George Zimmerman Trial: the Death of Trayvon Martin and the Birth of Black Lives Matter: Focus on Collecting and Organizing Massive Media Coverage"

Benjamin Brumley, History major '22; research assistant, Faculty Mentor - Gary Lee (Law & Society and Sociology), "The Illiberal Commonwealth: Race, Law and the Constitution of Difference in the Modern British Empire...Authoritarian Rule of Multi-racial Colonies" 

Jessica Dannery, International Studies major '22; project fellow, Faculty Mentor - Michelle Mood (Political Science, Asian Studies), "China’s Internal Passport: Hukou Laws’ Lasting Impact on Income and Social Inequality of Rural Citizens and Rural Migrant Labor in Urban Areas"

Dahlia Gottlieb, American Studies major '22; internship, Faculty Mentor - Jason Waller (Philosophy), "Examination of Human Rights Practice in U.S. Non-profit (NGO) Agencies"

Cristina Montiel-Sanchez, International Studies and Chinese major '21; research assistant, Faculty Mentor - Jackie McAllister (Political Science), "War and International Crimes; How and Whether Democracies Condition Aid and Support on Combatants’ Compliance with International Criminal Law"

Daniel Napsha, Political Science major '21; project fellow, Faculty Mentor - Abbie Erler (Political Science), "An Emphasis on Democracy and Civil Society: How Lawmakers Create a Civil Society through Legal Policies, Law, and Legal Institutions"

Morgan Paik, Women's & Gender Studies major  '22; research assistant, Faculty Mentor - Gilda Rodriguez, "U.S. Healthcare Systems and Minority Status:  Law’s Rejection or Accommodation of Sexual Difference in Healthcare Under the Trump Administration"

Nicole Predina, Political Science major '23; research assistant, Faculty mentor - Abbie Erler (Political Science), "Mental Health Courts and Juvenile Delinquency: Do These Courts Work to Reduce Recidivism Rates and Improve Mental Health Outcomes?"

Delaney Barker, Political Science major '20; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Abbie Erler (Political Science, Women and Gender Studies), research project track, "What Motivates Poll Workers? An Examination of  Their Organizational  Culture" 

Philip Brain, Political Science major '21; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Jason Waller (Philosophy), research project track, "The Future of International Weapons Law"

Adam Brown, Political Science major '20; Faculty Mentor - Prof. George McCarthy (Sociology), research project track, "After the Eclipse: Max Horkheimer and Student Protest"

Teddy Hannah-Drullard, English major '20; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Jason Waller (Philosophy), research project track, "Slurs, Cusses, and Fighting Words: The Problem of Free Speech Absolutism in America"

Mo Kamara, Sociology major'22; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Marla Kohlman (Sociology), research assistant, "Exploring the Intersectionality of Sexual Violence: The Benefit or Hazard of the #MeToo Movement"

Aaron Meuser, Political Science major '22; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Jackie McAllister (Political Science), research assistant, "Wartime Impact of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in Croatian...Conflicts"

Qiyam Stewart, Philosophy major '19; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Celso M. Villegas (Political Science), Internship, "Metropolitan Police Systems Inspection: Balancing Ethical and Vocational Qualities of Police Work and Its Practical Dimensions"   

Woodard, Libby, American Studies major '20; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Ric Sheffield (Law & Society, Sociology), research assistant, "Investigating the History and Narratives of Women’s Voting Rights in Ohio"

Delaney Barker, Political Science major '20, Research Assistant; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies); research assistant; "Race and Voting Rights Reconstruction in Ohio"

Michaela Jenkins, Sociology major '19; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Shaun Golding (Sociology); research assistant; "The Illiberal Commonwealth: Race, Law and the Constitution of Difference in the Modern British Empire"

Sarah Jensen, English major and Law & Society Concentrator  '18; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Abbie elder (Political Science); project fellow; "China's Internal Passport: Hukou Laws' Lasting Impact on Income and Social Inequality of rural Citizens and Rural Migrant Labor in Urban Areas"

Meghna Kulshrestha, International Studies major, project fellow; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies), "An Emphasis on Democracy and Civil Society: How Lawmakers Create A Civil Society through Legal Policies, Law and Legal Institutions"

Josh McClain, Political Science major '20; Faculty mentor - Prof. Abbie Erler (Political Science); research assistant; "Victims' Rights in the U.S., UK, and Germany: A Comparative Discussion of Policy Outcomes"

Brooks McCoy, Economics major '19, research assistant; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Abbie Erler (Political Science); "Judicial Review and Policy Feedback: Undermining Policy by Challenging its Constitutionality"

Sawyer Hiton, Philosophy and Neuroscience major '19, research assistant; Faculty Mentor - Prof. Joel Richeimer (Philosophy); "The George Zimmerman Trial: the Death of Trayvon Martin and the Birth of Black Lives Matter"

Guang Zhiyue, Political Science major '20, internship; faculty mentor - Prof.Michelle Mood (Political Science) "Examination of Human Rights Practices in U.S. Non-Profit (NGO) Agencies"

Maymuna Abdi '18, International Studies: Politics and Society major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Jene Schoenfeld (English), research assistant track, "Developing a Course: 'Law and Narrative'"

Layali Awwad '19, Undeclared major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, "Judges and Magistrates on the Role of Remorse and Apology in Law"

Jules Desroches '18, American Studies Major with concentrations in Law & Society and African Diaspora Studies; Faculty mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, "The Juice is Loose: Remorse and the Law"

Lelia Jo Dusthimer '19, International Studies major; Faculty Mentor - Michelle Mood (Political Science and Asian and Middle East Studies), research project track, "Funding Our Schools: Ohio’s Unconstitutional Education System"

Sarah Jensen '18, English major; Faculty Mentor - H. Abbie Erler (Political Science and Women's and Gender Studies), research project track, "Incentivizing Compliance: The Use of Rewards and Sanctions in a Juvenile Mental Health Court"

Joshua Walmer '18, Philosophy and Economics double major; Faculty Mentor - Joel Richeimer (Philosophy), research project track, "Bargained Guilt: Incentives for Innocents to Plead Guilty"

Matthew Williamson '18, History major; Faculty Mentor - Jacqueline McAllister, research assistant track, "The Smoke and Fire: Understanding the Deterrent Value of the International Criminal Court’s involvement in the Government of Uganda’s struggle against the Lord’s Resistance Army" 

Kenton DeBouter '17, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Marla Kohlman (Sociology), research project track, "Deviance in Lobbying"

Nicole Horita '18, Political Science major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, "Law and Apology: The Role of Remorse in Criminal Sentencing"

Sarah Jensen '18, English major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), research project track, "Mental Health Courts: An Innovative Solution to the Criminalization of Mental Illness"

Edgar Martin '17, Political Science major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, "Remorse and the Condemned in American Capital Punishment"

Aubrianna Osorio '17, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor -  Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), research project track, "Midwifery, the Affordable Care Act, and the Epistemic Authority of Women"

Maya Street-Sachs '17, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology), research project track, "Joining the Education-in-Prison Movement: A Proposal for an Inside Out Course at Kenyon College"

Peter Thomson '18, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology), research project track, "The Secret Kings of America: Race, Class, & Right-Wing Ideology"

Ar'Reon Watson '18, Psychology major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Sarah Murnen (Psychology), internship track, "Teachers' Perceptions of Police-to-Student Encounters: The Impact of Student Race, Police Legitimacy, and Legal Authoritarianism"

Alayne Wegner '17, Music and Sociology major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Ross Feller (Music), research project track, "The Sound of Control: A Sonic Ethnography of Columbus, Ohio"

Daniel Cebul '17, Political Science major; Faculty Mentor - Professor Tom Karako (Political Science & CSAD), research project track, "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Technology Trends, International Law, and Targeted Killing"

Erika Cuevas '16, Political Science major; Faculty mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research project track, "The Hobby Lobby Decision: Examining the Legal History of Corporate Personhood and the Future of Religious Freedom"

Nathan Durham '17, Sociology major; Faculty mentor - Professor Marla Kohlman (Sociology), research project track, "Does Race Matter?: Colorblind Ideology, Integration, and Interracial Marriage"

Noah Gurzenski '17, Philosophy major; Faculty mentor - Peter Rutkoff (American Studies), research project track, "The Big League: A History and Analysis of Major League Baseball's Exemption from Antitrust Laws"

Faith Masterson '16, Psychology major; Faculty mentor - Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, "Law & Apology: Statements of Remorse in the Criminal Sentencing Process"

Lindsey Susolik '16, History major; Faculty mentor - Linda Smolak (Psychology - Professor Emerita), research project track, "Why Title IX is Necessary"

Wanufi Teshome '16, Sociology major; Faculty mentor - Celso Villegas (Sociology), research project track, "Making the Clicks Count: Translating Digital Activism into Other Social Spheres: A Case Study Analysis"

Alma Urbano-Torres '18, Sociology major; Faculty mentor - Marla Kohlman (Sociology), research assistant track, "Sexual Harassment: An Old Problem in a Modern World"

Alayne Wegner '17, Music major; Faculty mentor - Justin Schupp (Sociology), research project track, "The Sound of Control: Social Power in the Age of Sonic Weaponry"

Winston Weinberg '17; Psychology major, Faculty mentor - Abbie Erler (Political Science), internship track, "A Glockwork Orange: Juvenile Gun Possession and Recidivism Prevention"

Emma Welsh-Huggins '17; Sociology major, Faculty mentor - Jan Thomas (Sociology), internship track, "A Report on the Sentencing Trends of Sexual Offenders in Knox County, 2004-2015"

Eliza Fairbrother ’16, International Studies major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology), research assistant track, “’Border Granny Wants You!:’ Minutewomen Policing Nation in Global America”

Noah Gurzenski ’17; Philosophy major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Kathleen Tipler (Political Science & CSAD), research assistant track, “Law of Abortion and the Federal Judiciary”

Grace Hitzeman ’15, English major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Ric Sheffield (Legal Studies and Sociology), research assistant track, “Law and Narrative”

Conrad Jacober ’15, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor – Professor George McCarthy (Sociology), research track, “Financialization and the Neoliberal State: On the reproduction of Capital in the Twenty-First Century"

Javier Leung ’15, Philosophy major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Joel Richeimer (Philosophy), research track, “Precaution in action or Precautionary Inaction?”

Qi Amelia Li ’15, Sociology and Economics major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Joseph Ewoodzie (Sociology), research track, “Effects of Children's Incarceration on Parents: Case Study of the Online Forum 'Prison Talk'"

Kelly Menzel ’15, English major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Ivonne Garcia (English), research track, “Narrating the Relationship between History and Identify: An Analysis of Contemporary Dominican-American Literature”

Kelsey Randhawa ’15, International Studies major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Nancy Powers (Political Science), research assistant track, “Advocates Want More Rights for Immigrants – But Do they Say So?: An Investigation of the Use of Rights Claims in Public Discourse about Immigration Reform”

Nolan Reisen ’15, Political Science major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science), research track, “American Public Morality and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate”

Whitney Simon ’15, Sociology major; Faculty Mentor – Professor Justin Schupp (Sociology), research track, “Gender-Based Violence and the European Union: A Public Health Concern”

Jake Thorn, English major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Tom Karako (Dir of CSAD, Political Science) "The Citizens United Decision: Examining the Past, Present, and Future of Campaign Finance Reform"

Dru Selden, English major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Mindfulness of the Mental Health Issues in Youthful Offenders: The Overlap between Mental Health and the Juvenile Justice "

Elizabeth Cheever, Political Science major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "A Plea to Justice Roberts: Strict Scrutiny and Diversity in America's Schools"

Olivia Siulagi, Psychology major, '14, Faculty Mentor -Professor Irene Lopez (Psychology) "Mothers who kill: Maternal filicide and Mental Illness in The United States and Italy"

Dan Kipp, Sociology major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Laurie Finke (WGS) "The Case for Paid Paternity Leave"

Mary Bank, Sociology major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Sociology) "From Illegal to Legal: Educational Messages to Youth About Alcohol and Marijuana Usage As They Transition from Underage Status"

Jennifer Ruymann, Sociology major, '15 Faculty Mentor - Professor Natalie Shapero (English) "Shroud and Sign: An Analysis of Religious Grave Markers on Federal Land"

Kayla Ernst, English major, '13, Faculty Mentor - Professor Nicole Hotchkiss (Legal Studies and Sociology) "The Meaning of Terrorism through the Judiciary"

Sarah Maniates, International Studies major, '13, Faculty Mentor - Professor Joseph Klesner (Political Science) "The Legal Foundations of the World Bank: Constraining Effectiveness in a Changing World?"

Morgan Peele, Women's and Gender Studies major, '13, Faculty Mentor - Professor Nicole Hotchkiss (Legal Studies and Sociology) "The Conflict of Community: How Institutions of Higher Education Conceptualize and Respond to Bias-Motivated Crime on Campus"

Kaylyn Talkington, Political Science major, '14, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Where God and Caesar Converge: Fundamentalist Evangelical influence on the Supreme Court since the Reagan Administration"

Robert Bosilovic, Political Science major, '13, Faculty Mentor - Professor Nicole Hotchkiss (Legal Studies and Sociology) "The Effectiveness of Multidistrict Litigation (MDL): A Case study involving Chinese drywall"

Gillian Gualtieri, English major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Marla Kohlman (Sociology) "Writing Sexual Misconduct: Articulation, Enforcement, and Revision Patterns for Sexual Misconduct Policies at GLCA Institutions as Related to State Laws"

Brittany Grabel, International Studies major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology) "Nothing but Resettlement: The Legal Integration and Collective Experiences of Mauritanian Refugees in Ohio"

Thomas Huelskoetter, Political Science major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Bound by Tradition: The Filibuster in the US Senate"

Christian Martinez-Canchola, English major, '12, Faculty Mentor- Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology) "Hypothetically, What if I were undocumented?"

Jack Whitacre, English major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Nicole Hotchkiss (Legal Studies and Sociology) "Environmental Justice: Issues in Cleveland and near Marietta"

Christine Bonomo, English major, '11, Faculty Mentor - Professor Jeffrey Bowman (History) "Women in the Law Codes of Reconquest Spain"

Jessica Goley, History major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Bruce Kinzer (History) "From Temporary Charters to "Too Big to Fail": The Social and Legal Causes of Corporate Growth in America"

Quentin Karpilow, Economics major, '11, Faculty Mentor - Professor Joseph Klesner (Political Science) "The Unintended Consequences of U.S. Law: The Role of U.S. Anti-Gang and Immigration Legislation in the Evolution of the Mara Salvatrucha Street Gang"

Gavin McGimpsey, Philosophy major, '11, Faculty Mentor - Professor Joseph Klesner (Political Science) "Defending Creators Incentive: Legal Responses to a Culture of Infringement"

Lukas Moe, English major, '11, Faculty Mentor - Professor Stephen Van Holde (Political Science) "Global Climate Governance and the Role of NGOs"

Robert Wallace, Philosophy major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Thomas Nightingale (Philosophy) "Status Crime: Re-emerging Issues in the Law"

Travis Cook, American Studies major, '10, Faculty Mentor - Professor Allison Hurst (Sociology) "The Constitutionality of the Controlled Substances Act; Can the Commerce Clause be Applied to Anything"

O'Neill Cushman, Philosophy major, '11, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Morality and Law: The Geneva Conventions in the Age of International Terrorism"

Martin Marcinko, Economics major, '10, Faculty Mentor - Professor Joseph Klesner (Political Science) "The Sicilian Mafia: Law and Morality"

Lindsay Stevens, Political Science major, '10, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Intersections of Youth, Sexuality, Poverty, and Government: The Impact of Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs"

Raluca Toma, Political Science major, '10, Faculty Mentor - Professor Stephen Van Holde (Political Science) "Trapped in the Trade: Human Trafficking and Prostitution in Western Europe"

Desiree Vodounon, International Studies major, '12, Faculty Mentor - Professor Ric Sheffield (Sociology and Legal Studies) "Cultural Impact on Plagiarism in American Colleges and Universities"

Naomi Blaushild, Political Science major, '10, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler (Political Science) "Pardoning the Power: Patterns and influences of Executive Clemency since the Eisenhower Administration"

Risa Griffin, Women's and Gender Studies major, '09, Faculty Mentor - Professor Marla Kohlman (Sociology) "National Welfare and State Surveillance: How PRWORA Impacts Women's Reproductive Freedom"

Elizabeth Meyers, English major, '09, Faculty Mentor - Professor Allison Hurst (Sociology) "The Caseworker-Client Relationship: The Dynamics of Class in Welfare"

Kara Stiles, Political Science major, '09, Faculty Mentor - Professor Linda Smolak (Psychology) "Women in Prison: Do Female Inmates Face Inequity in the Criminal Justice System"

Jeffrey Benjamin Force, Philosophy major, '08, Faculty Mentor - Professor Christopher Yeomans (Philosophy) "Scalia and Dworkin: The Societal Impact of Constitutional Interpretation"

William Neil Johnston, Economics major, '08, Faculty Mentor - Professor Allison Hurst (Sociology) "The Unequal Scales of Justice: An Exploration of Inherent Disadvantages of Working-Class Civil Litigants and Criminal Defendants"

David Alexander Rinehart, Political Science major, '08, Faculty Mentor - Professor Abbie Erler ( Political Science) "Presidential Influence on the Amendment Process: George W. Bush and the Same-Sex Marriage Ban"

Molly Elizabeth Schlemmer, English major, '08, Faculty Mentor - Professor Jennifer Johnson (Sociology) "Net Detectives: Cyber-sleuthing as legal vigilantism"