Seven Gardner-Webb Students Present Research at National Alpha Chi Convention

Senior Noah Seip wins one of 18 Presentation Prizes at the Event

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Gardner-Webb University North Carolina Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi recently attended the honor society’s national convention in Birmingham, Ala. Noah Seip won the Patricia Graham Prize for world history, and four students completed a collaborative research project. The theme of the convention was “Leaders for Tumultuous Times.”

Seven students participated:

• Micah Moulder, of Seneca, S.C., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in psychology.
• Rebecca Majorel, of Clemons, N.C., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in Christian studies.
• Marissa DiMatteo, of Greenville, N.C., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in biology/biomedical sciences.
• Blake Henkel, of Granite Falls, N.C., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in biology/biomedical sciences.
• Trevor Wyatt, of Winston-Salem, N.C., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in mathematics education.
• Paula Harvie, of Johnson City, Tenn., a May 2024 graduate with a degree in World Languages, Literature and Cultures.
• Seip, of Salisbury, Md., a senior history major.

Seip competed with nearly 100 presenters to receive one of 18 cash prizes. The students were recognized for making the best scholarly, creative, or artistic presentations in their fields. The prizes were funded through discipline-specific endowments established by supporters of Alpha Chi. Seip was awarded $100 for his paper on German propaganda during World War I. The title was “Influencing the Home Front: How German Propaganda Posters in World War I Portrayed the War as a War of Defense Against Evil Enemies.”

The collaborative research team of Moulder, Henkel, Majorel and DiMatteo (which is required to be interdisciplinary) faced stiff competition as members presented research on how AI can be ethically used in healthcare and what we can do to uphold ethical standards as uses for AI in healthcare increase. The title of the project was “Healing AI So It Can Heal Us: Prospects for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.”

In addition to participating in the collaborative research competition, Moulder also presented an individual paper.

About Alpha Chi

Alpha Chi promotes academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and honors those who achieve such distinction. Induction into Alpha Chi is the highest academic honor bestowed upon any group of students at Gardner-Webb. Membership is open to students with junior and senior classification who demonstrate strong character and whose GPA ranks them in the top 10 percent of their academic classes. The GWU North Carolina Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi was established in 1972.

About Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.