By Joyce Guyette

Erskine College seniors Randy Hudson, Portia Thomas and Emily Wentzky each made presentations Feb. 17 at the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Undergraduate Student/ Faculty Research Program Symposium at the BMW Zentrum Visitors Center.

Hudson, a special education major from Lincolnton, NC, gave an oral presentation titled “Making the Leap: Assessing the Components of a Transition Program on the Effectiveness of Preparing Students with Disabilities to Move Successfully from Middle School to High School and to Post secondary Education.” His faculty sponsor was Professor of Secondary Education Dr. Margaret Emery.

Thomas, a biology and chemistry double major from Camden, presented a poster titled “Modeling the Effects of the Ser9Gly nsSNP in the Human Dopamine Receptor.” Her faculty sponsor was Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Ekaterina Michonova-Alexova.

Wentzky, an elementary education and physical education major from Anderson, gave an oral presentation on “An Analysis of the Relationship between Cooperative Learning and Beneficial Occupational Skills.” Her sponsor was Dr. Margaret Emery.

Erskine College is one of 20 members of SCICU, and Erskine students account- ed for three of the 24 presentations at the symposium.

SCICU supports and promotes the values of independent higher education in South Carolina. SCICU seeks to advance higher edu- cation through fund-raising, scholarships, and research, as well as by facilitating collabora- tive activities among the member institutions. SCICU also enhances a positive public image and encourages government policies that sup- port independent higher education.