More than 30 Berkeley College Honors students presented research on contentious issues such as equal pay, the effects of social media on mental health, and hidden costs in healthcare, during the annual Honors Scholars Research Symposium.
The symposium experience helps students hone their critical thinking, public speaking, graphic design, and professional writing skills. The three-day event earlier this month included a thesis presentation session, virtual research symposium session, and poster presentation session.
“Each year we see improvement in the quality of the work produced, especially as students select topics they are passionate about,” said Pattie Cowan, director, Honors Program, Berkeley College. “Berkeley College seeks to improve the program annually by further challenging students’ skillsets and knowledge both on-site and virtually.”
Presentations featured topics including the risks of genetically modified organisms, the correlation between mental health and social media, the pay gap between male and female athletes, and the consequences of society’s dependence on plastic.
“The Honors Program showed me how to collaborate with my classmates and challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone,” said Honors scholar Ahron Mejia of Union City, NJ. “I felt comfortable asking questions and diving into research. Now I am a more confident, outgoing student who is likely to reach out to support others.”
Mejia presented his poster, “The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Children and Teenagers,” during the Symposium. “My research showed that when it comes to social media and teens, the negatives outweigh the positives,” Mejia said. “I recommend self-monitoring and limiting the number of hours spent on the phone.”
Two Honors scholars, Zahamy Chacon of Middlesex, and Abigail Reza of Paterson, will present posters at the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) Annual Conference in Philadelphia in December. According to the MSCHE, presentations are an opportunity for students to showcase their research and findings to leaders across higher education.
An Honors Recognition Ceremony was held on Aug. 7 to acknowledge scholars who have gone above and beyond in the program during the 2025-2026 academic year. The following students were recognized for their research:
Best Presentation: “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Accounting: Why Human Accountants Still Mater” by Dylan Dascoli of Shirley, New York.
Best Virtual Presentations:
- Elvira Fred of Huddinge, Sweden
- Angela Mushi of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Mai Nitzan of Herzliya, Israel
- Olivia Wolski of Lodi
Best Title: “Harvesting Uncertainty, Exploring Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms” by Miguel Andrade of Kingwood, Texas.
Academic All-Stars, First-Year Honors Students:
- Jan Ali Bukhari of Multan, Pakistan
- Brianna Celis of Carteret
- Zahamy Chacon of Middlesex
- Elvira Fred of Huddinge, Sweden
- Mai Nitzan of Herzliya, Israel
- Tia Shabsough of Amman, Jordan
Academic All-Stars, Continuing Honors Students:
- Christian Benito of Kearny
- Elvira Bronaes of Stocksund, Sweden
- Dylan Dascoli of Shirley, New York
Best Honors Papers:
- “Hidden Filters: How AI Hiring Tools Sort Out the People They Were Built to Include” by Jan Ali Bukhari of Multan, Pakistan
- “Sick Care, Not Health Care: The Unspoken Truth of Patients for Profit” by Brianna Celis of Carteret.
Best Honors Thesis: “Eating Disorders as a Social Justice Issue” by Elvira Bronaes of Stocksund, Sweden
Honors Academic MVPs:
- Christian Benito of Kearny
- Elvira Bronaes of Stocksund, Sweden
- Elvira Fred of Huddinge, Sweden
- Tia Shabsough of Amman, Jordan
Community Service MVPs:
- Zahamy Chacon of Middlesex
- Mateo Negrete of College Point, New York
