MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – SUNY Orange Honors Program student Christina Scourlas of Central Valley recently captured a “Most Outstanding Paper” Award at the 27th annual Beacon Conference, a prestigious research presentation conference for community college students in the Northeast.

Scourlas’ paper, entitled “U.S. Nursing Shortage: Fact or Fiction” was selected as the most outstanding work in the Allied Health and Nursing category during the June conference hosted by Lehigh Carbon Community College.

In all, a total of 51 presenters delivered their research in 17 categories. Each winner was selected by a panel judge who is a professor at a four-year college or university in the region. Papers selected as Most Outstanding in their respective panels will be published in the July 2019 edition of “Proceedings”, the annual catalog of Beacon Conference winners. Additionally, 13 students showcases posters depicting their research.

Elaine Torda, English professor and coordinator of the SUNY Orange Honors Program, and nursing professor Alan McGlynn mentored Scourlas through her research, conducted during the 2018-19 academic year.

SUNY Orange was also represented at the Beacon Conference by David O’Keefe (Washingtonville) and Sara Tyrrell (Rock Tavern). O’Keefe was a recipient of the 2019 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence earlier this spring. Tyrrell, meanwhile, also delivered a related research presentation at the annual Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference held in Baltimore, Md.

All three students graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Orange this past May.

 

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SUNY Orange Honors Program student Christina Scourlas (left) of Central Valley recently captured a “Most Outstanding Paper” Award at the 27th annual Beacon Conference, a prestigious research presentation conference for community college students in the Northeast. She was joined by fellow SUNY Orange representatives Sara Tyrrell (center), of Rock Tavern, and David O’Keefe of Washingtonville.