Berkeley College Honors Program Presents Social Justice Issues Through Annual Research Symposium
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
BERKELEY COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAM PRESENTS SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES
THROUGH ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Photo Caption: The Berkeley College Honors Program hosted its annual Honors Scholars Research Symposium poster presentation on August 6, 2025. Students researched and presented hotly debated social issues such as gun control, healthcare, and artificial intelligence (AI). A virtual portion of the Research Symposium was presented on August 5. (L to R) Berkeley College Honors scholars Abigail Reza of Paterson, NJ; Mary Dixon of West Orange, NJ; Yazmina Wahby of Jersey City, NJ; Gabriel Pereira of Garfield, NJ; Olivia Wolski of Lodi, NJ; and Christian Benito of Kearny, NJ.
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Nearly 30 Berkeley College Honors students presented research on hotly debated topics such as gun control, healthcare, and artificial intelligence (AI), during the annual Honors Scholars Research Symposium. The event included a virtual research symposium session on August 5 and poster presentation session on August 6, 2025. Through the symposium experience, students hone their critical thinking, professional presentation, and academic writing skills.
“The Honors scholars this year went above and beyond in the scope of their research and presentations,” said Pattie Cowan, Director, Honors Program. “Both the audience and judges alike expressed how impressed they were with the quality of work students produced, but those are simply the expectations of the Honors Program. We aim to improve the program each year by challenging the students’ knowledge and skills, and each year the students challenge us in turn to up our game with their inherent abilities. This Symposium was no exception.”
The virtual session of the symposium featured presentations on topics including mental health and social media, sustainable fashion trends, how music affects cognition, and the gig economy. Social justice issues covered during the poster presentation included effective gun control legislation, human trafficking, the American healthcare system, and whether art has lost its soul in the age of AI.
Three Honors scholars, Christian Benito of Kearny, NJ; Andre Krzyzanowski of Elizabethport, NJ; and Gabriel Pereira of Garfield, NJ, will present posters at the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA, in December 2025. According to the MSCHE, the poster presentations are an opportunity for students to showcase their research and findings to leaders from across the higher education industry.
An Honors Recognition Ceremony was held on August 8 to acknowledge scholars who have gone above and beyond in the program during the 2024-2025 academic year. Winners included:
Best Virtual Presentations:
- Dylan Dascoli of Shirley, NY
- Klara Enander of Borås, Sweden
- Manuela Jaramillo of Astoria, Queens, NY
- Andre Krzyzanowski of Elizabethport, NJ
- Olivia Muenchmeyer of Lerberget, Sweden
- Jason Scott of Staten Island, NY
Best Title: “Has Art Lost Its Soul in the Age of AI?” by Gabriel Pereira of Garfield, NJ
Academic All-Stars, First-Year Honors Students:
- Christian Benito of Kearny, NJ
- Elvira Bronaes of Stocksund, Sweden
- Dylan Dascoli of Shirley, NY
- Mary Dixon of West Orange, NJ
- Taeyhung Kim of Seoul, South Korea
- Olivia Wolski of Lodi, NJ
Academic All-Stars, Continuing Honors Students:
- Isabella Calderon of Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Bill Engqvist of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Andre Krzyzanowski of Elizabethport, NJ
- Olivia Muenchmeyer of Lerberget, Sweden
- Nathalia Newroz Goek of Spånga, Sweden
- Jason Scott of Staten Island, NY
- Sofia Tosca of Milano, Italy
Best Honors Social Justice Papers:
- “TikTok vs. Reality: Who Gets to be Seen as ‘Healthy’ Online?” by Elvira Bronaes of Stocksund, Sweden
- “You’re Being Deprived: The Fraud That is American Health Care” by Olivia Wolski of Lodi, NJ
Best Honors Theses:
- “Psychology of Conspiracy Theories: How Our Philosophy, Perspective, and Opinions Can Shape Reality” by Andre Krzyzanowski of Elizabethport, NJ
- “Technology’s Impact on Culture: Does the Internet Make Cultures More Similar or More Diverse?” by Sofia Tosca of Milano, Italy
Academic MVPs:
- Klara Enander of Borås, Sweden
- Olivia Wolski of Lodi, NJ
Community Service MVPs:
- Manuela Jaramillo of Astoria, Queens, NY
- Taehyung Kim of Seoul, South Korea
Photo Caption: Berkeley College Honors scholar Gabriel Pereira of Garfield, NJ, stands next to his research poster, “Has Art Lost Its Soul in the Age of AI?” at the Honors Scholar Research Symposium poster presentation on August 6, 2025. Pereira will present his poster at the Middle States Commission for Higher Education Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA, in December 2025.
About the Berkeley College Honors Program
The Berkeley College Honors Program is a credit-bearing academic program within the Division of General Education available to eligible high-achieving, full-time applicants seeking Associate’s or Bachelor’s degrees across most majors in the School of Business and the School of Professional Studies. Honors students are exposed to theme-based interdisciplinary seminars, enhance their research writing and oral presentation skills, and provide community service to the College and community. Themes reflect topics that are timely and relevant and change each year. Click here to find out more about the Berkeley College Honors Program.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans for 12 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2025 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.
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