Each month, Capital University takes immense pride in showcasing the remarkable accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. These achievements, ranging from groundbreaking research and innovative projects to significant contributions in various fields, reflect the vibrant intellectual community and commitment to excellence that define our institution. Join us in applauding these milestones and the individuals who are not only advancing their respective disciplines but also shaping the future of our university and community.
Staff members from the Chimes won three first-place awards and one honorable mention in its division at the National College Media Association Convention in New York City. Editor-in-Chief Adrian Suppes and Managing Editor Samaree Perkins together took a first place in crises coverage. Web Editor Tatiana Sullivan received a first place for best news website. Reporter Clayton Hines received an honorable mention for his column Media is a Valued Perspective, Even When Created by Bad People. “This is one of the most dedicated staffs I have ever worked with,” Adviser Kelly Messinger (English) said. “They are versatile with their skills sets. Any one of my students would be a great asset to a news organization.” In addition, Greg Belliveau (English) earned his College Media Adviser Certification at the conference. Belliveau will take over as Chimes adviser after Messinger retires at the end of this semester. Congratulations to the Chimes, the student staff members, and the Chimes advisors.
Over the past five months, a team of five students from Capital University, under the mentorship of Saurav Roychoudhury (finance), competed in the Global CFA Research Challenge. The competition required them to write an Investment Analyst report on a publicly traded company from Ohio. With 17 teams from universities across South and Central Ohio, Capital advanced to the top six and reached the Sub-Regional Finals. Three team members, Dario Scott, Gio Almonte, and Kristina Schilt, delivered their final presentation, finishing as a close runner-up. Roychoudhury said, "The Capital University team gained invaluable real-world experience through the CFA Institute Research Challenge, honing their financial analysis, critical thinking, and presentation skills." We are incredibly proud of their achievement!
Congratulations to Saurav Roychoudhury (finance) who presented Does Large Language Models Enhance Conventional Machine Learning at the 62nd Annual Academy of Economics and Finance Conference. This co-authored paper integrates LLMs with traditional models for bankruptcy forecasting. Using financial data and MDA insights from 2,966 U.S. firms (2012–2023), it enhances accuracy, interpretability, and reduces false negatives. Roychoudhury stated that “The presentation was well received, highlighting the paper’s novel approach of complementing traditional techniques with large language modeling.”
Kudos to Nate Whelan-Jackson (philosophy) who published Buen Vivir and Disability's Swerve in the Inter-American Journal of Philosophy. This paper draws on the political philosophy of "Buen Vivir" enshrined in Ecuador's 2008 Constitution and a variety of disability-related policies to create avenues of understanding and appreciating how disabled people might contribute to a shared understanding of what it means to live well. According to Whelan-Jackson, “This was my first work in Inter-American philosophy. I think the conversations and research that went into this project open productive ways of shaping intuitions surrounding disability and community membership as well as co-creating our shared knowledge about what it means to live well.”
Congratulations to Eric Anderson (Career Development) who presented How Our Use of Language Shapes Our Careers and Life Planning at the Ohio College Personnel Association annual conference. Anderson reflected, “Our everyday language can be revealing, and we are often unaware of how it negatively shapes us and our students. Increasing awareness of the negative effects on our feelings and actions can improve our students’ agency as they plan their careers and lives.” The presentation demonstrated career and life planning problems that emerge from everyday use of language, including a message from adults, a message students tell themselves, and metaphors that are so deeply embedded that we do not consciously notice them. These messages and metaphors lead students to chase the wrong dreams, miss fulfilling careers, misunderstand the role of chance, and mistakenly focus on possession and control.
Praise for Hoyun Cho (education) who published the chapter Multicultural Mathematics Education in the textbook Elementary Mathematics Education Theory – Reflecting the 2022 Revised Mathematics Curriculum, published in Korea by Kyoyookbook. This chapter addresses multicultural mathematics education within Korea, where shifting demographics are leading to more diverse classrooms. It introduces Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) as a foundational framework for multicultural mathematics education and outlines five practical components for effectively integrating CRP into mathematics teaching. Thirteen universities are using this textbook for their first-semester elementary mathematics methods course.
Congratulations to Lynn Segovia (nursing), Jean Scholz Mellum (nursing), Grace Sung (nursing), and students Jordyn Hoffman and Usman Akhtar who presented Essential Informatics Competencies Required of BSN Students at the Ohio League for Nursing Education Summit. As nursing education evolves to meet the demands of digital transformation, care coordination, and a heightened focus on quality and patient safety, understanding the informatics competencies required of new BSN graduates is essential. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) adopted a competency-based education framework in 2021, emphasizing informatics as a core component of nursing education. However, research suggests that more work is needed to define and assess these competencies effectively. This study seeks to bridge that gap by identifying the key informatics skills necessary for BSN-prepared nurses to succeed in today’s healthcare landscape. The presentation at the summit provided an opportunity to contribute to this critical conversation and highlight the collaborative research efforts of Capital University’s faculty and students.
Kudos to Capital University voice students for their many honors and awards! Beaux Baldwin took second place for Upper Musical Theatre TBB Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition and performed Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore with Opera Project Columbus. Luke Bolyard won third place for Second Year Classical TBB Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition. Maya Carpenter received an honorable mention for Second Year Classical Treble Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition. Drew Hartley won second place for Lower Musical Theatre TBB Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition. Ashton Hinton won first place for Second Year Classical TBB Voice and third place for Lower Musical Theatre TBB Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition. Max Kramer performed Thomas Putnam, The Cruicible with Georgia State University Harrower Summer Opera. Henry Seifried won third place for Upper Musical Theatre TBB Voice at the Ohio NATS Competition. Maya Carpenter, Jacob Jones, Max Kramer, Abigail Mayer, Savannah Nyang, Jayden Steele, and Hannah Stewart participated in The Patti and Allan Herbert Summer Music Program at Salzburg.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Corn who won first place in the International Clarinet Association's Clareidoscope Young Artist (ages 19-26) Performance Competition. Corn prepared and recorded the competition's required etude with Gail Lehto Zugger (music).
The Capital University Big Band (students Chris Chandler, Kaitlyn Comfort, Will Conley, Nate Dickas, Daniel Johnson-Brewer, Landen Johnson, Kristin Kalnapenk, Isaac Lutz, Emma McCalla, Kyson Orick, Casey Reinhardt, Lydia Risler, Lucas Ruetz, Syd Ward, Wesley Webb, Gracie Westergaard, Parker Wilkinson, and Ivan Zavorotnii), led by Capital alumnus Billy Wolfe was one of a handful of participating groups to be named Outstanding Ensemble at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival. In addition, ten Capital students (Nate Dickas, Daniel Johnson-Brewer, Kristin Kalnapenk, Isaac Lutz, Emma McCalla, Kyson Orick, Lucas Reutz, Syd Ward, Gracie Westergaard, and Parker Wilkinson) were named Outstanding Individual Performers. Much applause for these students and their mentors!