Kentucky Honors Roundtable Gives Students Opportunities to Present Research and Creative Works at UofL

Feb. 12, 2025 

By Stephanie Godward, Communications and Marketing Director, College of Arts & Sciences 

UofL’s Honors Program hosted the Kentucky Honors Roundtable (KHR) events earlier this month with over 150 students from 10 colleges and universities from across the commonwealth engaging in presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. 

Held twice per year and rotating to different locations each fall and spring, UofL hosts the KHR every five years. 

“It's a really great honor for UofL to be able to host, and we did so along with Spalding University,” said Honors Program Director Siobhan Smith-Jones. "This event benefits students because it gives them an outlet to share their work while connecting with faculty. Dean Dayna Touron also attended, and this is really setting students up for different opportunities in their lives.” 

Several UofL honors students from a variety of disciplines had the opportunity to share their work with their peers.  

Tuesday Shaw is a senior majoring in philosophy and humanities with a minor in Russian studies. He presented on the relevance of two topics in philosophy, including the philosophy of the self and philosophy of literature, as applied to the novel/poem Eugene Onegin. Shaw's professional goals includetaking his undergraduate background in philosophy and applying it to comparative literature in future graduate studies. 

“KHR gave me an excellent opportunity to combine those interests and to see if my ideas connected to an audience. It helped me hone my oral presentation skills, which will be incredibly important in the career I hope to pursue in teaching and research,” Shaw said. “Personally, I enjoyed learning about the kind of research and creative activity other students, both at UofL and at other colleges in Kentucky, are doing. I learned so much and about so many different topics all in one day.”  

Emily Stucky is a senior at UofL double majoring in history and educational studies (Individualized Major.) She presented her thesis on Memphis radio history, specifically the impact of WDIA and WHER as the first all-Black and all-female radio stations in the country respectively. 

“My experience at KHR has helped me to become much more confident speaking in front of people,” Stucky said. “Presenting at multiple conferences has taught me how to distill my ideas into a digestible format, which will certainly be helpful as I pursue a career in teaching. I love KHR because of its supportive environment, and it's been a privilege to participate the past three years.” 

Dammy Jeboda is a senior psychology major, with minors in philosophy, applied statistics, and data science. Jeboda presented on “The Public Opinion of WBE (wastewater-based epidemiology,) PHI (personal health information), and Privacy Related Implications in Malawi.” 

“KHR gave me more confidence in sharing my ideas, and a chance to present my findings and key takeaways,” Jeboda said. “It was nice to discuss my research, answer questions, and help people learn more about research being done in low- and middle-income countries.” 

Smith-Jones expressed how grateful she was to Honors students who volunteered their time as moderators and photographers, and to the Honors staff, who began planning last year. She is also proud of the students who shined among the best and the brightest across Kentucky. 

“Our students have something to say, and they have work that they are being called to do, interests that only they can do as individuals,” Smith-Jones said. "Being at KHR is a chance for them to share what it is that they're learning. It's giving them an opportunity to be a part of these different conversations and recognize that the work that they do is important.” 

The group of students from various Kentucky schools also attended UofL’s Student Activities Board International Fashion Show together. 

“I had so many students and faculty from some of the visiting schools come up to me and say this is the best conference, and they felt so welcome and were making new friends,” Smith-Jones said. “I think that speaks volumes about the Cardinal spirit that we have, and that love and support for each other, and also it shows that UofL supports our international community.” 

Students participating in KHR had the chance to sharpen their presenting skills while making connections for their futures as well. 

“Our goal in the Honors Program is to engage, enrich, and empower students,” Smith-Jones said. “We want them to have amazing classroom experiences, but we also want them to grow and mature so that they can go out and feel confident about the work that they're doing in these different professional spaces, and also in their personal lives as well. We're giving them skills that are going to benefit them here at UofL and beyond.”