TOWSON, Md. – Lauren Cahalan continues to shine for Towson University.
The recent graduate represented Towson at the prestigious Council on Undergraduate Research Biennial Conference. The event was held at the Hyatt in Crystal City, Virginia near Arlington.
Cahalan, along with Dr. Alison McCartney and Rio Napoli, talked about the successes of TU's Undergraduate Research Club and the University's efforts to make research and creative inquiry more accessible to all.
"It was great to be able to represent Towson at the Research Biennial Conference," Cahalan said. "The conference is an awesome way to learn about how research can be an avenue for all students no matter their background or major. I was happy to be able to share how my research experience opened up doors for me."
Cahalan was selected for the conference because she was the founder and president of TU's Undergraduate Research Club. With the help of Bethany Pace in the Office of the Provost and Dr. Alison McCartney and Rio Napoli in the Honors College, they worked with Cahalan over the past year to create a club that was open to everyone where they can share research and get access to resources on campus.
"Just in TU's undergraduate research club we have members studying fossils, United Nations Women, and the water quality of local schools to name a few," Cahalan said. "My personal research was a thesis in economics with Dr. Seth Gitter studying the impact of terrorist attacks on women's employment in Afghanistan. The club is a great way to spread the word about research and I was so happy to share my experience with schools from all over the country."
Cahalan made an impact during her career at Towson. She was a strong gymnast and provided leadership and inspiration to her team. She was selected as the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Specialist of the Week on Jan. 16, 2018. After missing last season due to multiple surgeries which put her career in jeopardy, Cahalan finished first on floor and third on beam as Towson finished first in its home opener on Sunday (add date), going 2-0 against Temple and William & Mary.
She was also a member of Towson's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) executive team. Cahalan oversaw SAAC's Community Service and Events. Her commitment and passion to serving others and making sure Towson was represented in the community.
Cahalan's efforts helped Towson hit the 10,000 hour mark for community service for a sixth-straight year which resulted in the Tigers' athletic department has been recognized as a finalist for the NACDA/Fiesta Bowl Community Service Award.
The latest presentation was memorable for Cahalan.
"It was a cool experience," Cahalan said of the conference. "I was able to share with faculty and administrators from other schools that students are excited about research and a club is a good way for students to be able to access resources and connect with other students that just love learning. Research opens the doors to grants, publications, grad schools, internships and jobs, so it's awesome to be able to create a space where students want to come and enjoy one another's company while also accomplishing some really amazing things."
