Top row (left to right): Dr. Joel Mann, Paris Wills (‘26), Earl D’Souza (‘26), Kayla Koenig (‘25), Tyler Blom (‘27)
Bottom row (left to right): KC Garania, Victoria Juarez (‘25), Joseph Sule II (‘27)
By: Morgan Fimreite, Tyler Blom, and Paris Wills
The 2025 Upper Midwest Honors Council was held at Minnesota State University of Mankato. Six Honors students traveled along with Dr. Mann and KC to present their research. Paris Wills (‘26) presented during the first poster presentation of the conference. She showcased her summer research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Increasing Anti-Microbial Activity in Plasma-Treated Antibiotics. Joseph Sule II (‘27) gave a talk during the first oral presentation on Developing a Laser. Afterwards, Earl D’Souza (‘26) gave his oral presentation on a case study of Maxx Crosby and his battle with alcoholism and advocacy. Our first presenter in Session 2 was Tyler Blom (‘26), giving a talk about The Game of Cycles. The students were free to explore and view other presentations during Session 3 and Kayla Koenig (‘25) presented her poster on macrophage involvement in Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Session 4. Last, but not least, Victoria Juarez (‘25) spoke about Basque Language Restitution in the following oral presentation session.
These students are a wonderful representation of the research you can complete both at SNC and at other institutions through REU programs. While the conference was fast-paced, its mission of Living in Community and the number of presenters created a unique and highly interdisciplinary atmosphere. The audiences during oral presentations and viewers of the poster sessions were highly curious, even if the research was outside of their discipline. Many presentations showcased bacterial research, emphasizing the Community aspect of the theme, and other presentations of note include genetic case studies, anatomy research, and a presentation on underage gambling.
Paris, a Biochemistry major with a math minor, wanted to present at UMHC because she was offered a chance to speak at a national conference after her presentation at UNL, but wasn’t able to attend. Held in Mankato, UMHC provided another opportunity to present, as well as close proximity to her grandparents so they would be able to see her work. She made good use of her time at the conference by observing and speaking with presenters who had interesting research, including those who visited her and asked questions during her poster presentation. She appreciated the keynote speakers, particularly a photographer who was determined to photograph every resident of Mankato.
Tyler, a Theoretical Mathematics and Philosophy double major, decided to apply because of his love for sharing his research. He also finds himself becoming inspired by the research of other students, which made this incredibly interdisciplinary conference a great place for him to share and expand his knowledge. He was incredibly thankful to his audience, who were very energetic and attentive, asking the most questions of any presentation he had ever given. During a break, he enjoyed exploring the library, specifically the math section, and after reflecting on the conference, found it to be an incredibly special experience.
All the SNC students attended the Student Social on Friday night and spent most of the time bowling together. Tyler bowled many strikes in this alley underneath the Student Union. In addition to many games, there was life-sized chess! On the way back to the hotel, the students celebrated their game with Cold Stone.
The application process for UMHC is usually a Google Form or, this year, a form through the host school’s website. The most challenging part was submitting an abstract of only 50 words, when usually presenters are allowed 100-300. Both Paris and Tyler highly encourage students to apply to present at UMHC. Not only is it a great opportunity to present outside of SNC and it’s close, it is a way to meet highly passionate students at other institutions and witness the various research projects they are completing. If you’re still on the fence about applying, it may help to know that our wonderful Honors Program pays for the majority of expenses. We look forward to the announcement of the 2026 UMHC location and hope to see you there!
