Providence, RI--Six seniors from the College's Health Policy and Management (HPM) Program were featured presenters at the New England Political Science Association's (NEPSA) annual meeting on April 25-26, 2008 in Providence.
It was the first time in the history of the program, which dates back to 1974, that students presented at any professional association meeting without partnering with a faculty member.
The students, whose position paper topics ranged from health care reform in prisons to what schools are doing to address childhood obesity, are Kate Anderson of Waterbury, Conn.; Sarah Crampton of Plantsville, Conn.; Jennifer DeAngelis of Peabody, Mass.; Jamie Gainor of Cumberland, R.I.; Brian Newell of Burr Ridge, Ill.; and Mary Nelle Trefz of Iowa City, Iowa.
Dr. Robert B. Hackey, professor of health policy and management and acting program chair, said the students
were selected based on their performance in his policy analysis class last fall. Instead of having his students submit a typical capstone senior seminar thesis, which is a standard 15-to-20-page paper, Hackey said he pushed them to make multiple revisions to their paper and refine their arguments for an external audience.
"I felt that several of my students were ready for a professional challenge that would really stretch them," said Hackey, who also served as the program chair for the Public Policy section of the meeting.
Trefz, whose paper was entitled "Health Care Behind Bars: Reforming Prison Health Care Systems," called the opportunity to take part in the conference a "valuable experience" for an undergraduate.
"I appreciated the feedback and the respect that I felt from the other presenters and people on the panel," she said.
Newell, who delivered his paper, "Standardizing Health Information Technology: A Call to Action," during a Saturday session, said presenting at the meeting was useful practice for the future.
"I know I'll be more confident presenting in front of a group because of the skills I gained preparing for NEPSA," he said.
Hackey said the students' work "compared well to both the faculty and graduate students who served on the panels."
"Everyone I met was impressed by their professionalism, delivery, and the quality of their writing. Honestly, when I was in their shoes, I don't think I could have done what they did," he said.
He added that he hoped his students would become regular participants at the annual meeting.
"It's highly unusual for undergraduates to present at such meetings," Hackey admitted. "This provided a high level of visibility for the program and for our students, and it paves the way for future PC students to do the same."
Other PC participants
In addition to the students, several members of the College's faculty participated at the meeting as presenters or panelists. They included Dr. James M. Carlson, professor of political science, who served as a section head during the two-day meeting; Dr. Anthony D. Affigne, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science; Bryan E. Brophy-Baermann, adjunct assistant professor of political science; Dr. Joseph P. Cammarano, assistant professor of political science; Paola Cesarini, instructor of political science; Rev. Edward L. Cleary, O.P., Ph.D., professor of political science; Cedric de Leon, assistant professor of sociology; Dr. William E. Hudson, professor of political science; Dr. Mark S. Hyde, professor of political science; and Dr. Robert H. Trudeau, professor of political science.
--30--