Abigail Douglas of Brookhaven won “Runner Up for Best in Final” for her research showcase recently at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Marketing.

Douglas, who is working on a Master of Science degree in economic development, titled her presentation “Naval Air Station Meridian Economic & Fiscal Impact Analysis 2021.”

The annual Student Research Showcase took place recently at Scianna Hall in Hattiesburg.

The USM School of Marketing hosted the event, which featured 18 research presentations, representing undergraduate and graduate students from the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses. Presentations spanned various disciplines in the College of Business & Economic Development including Marketing, Interior Design, Sport Management, International Business, Journalism, Hospitality & Tourism, Economic Development, Healthcare Marketing, and Human Resource Management.

The Showcase is an annual event where student researchers disseminate their knowledge as they present their research in five minutes, followed by a five-minute Q&A. Students competed for cash and prizes. The students all conducted primary research into their topics, generating new knowledge for their fields.

“Much of this research will ultimately be presented at international conferences and published in quality academic journals,” said Katie Howie, Assistant Professor in the School of Marketing. “The students demonstrated exceptional courage, commitment, and skill in presenting their projects to a diverse audience of USM faculty, staff, and professionals from the community.”

Other top presentations included:

• Best in Proposal – Landon McFarland, of Diamondhead, “Fighting the Stigma: Consumers’ Perceptions of Frontline Employees with Disabilities.” Major: Marketing and Applied Economics (double major).
• Runner Up for Best in Proposal – Robbie McDonald, of Metairie, Louisiana, “If You Build It, They Will Learn: An Analysis of How Classroom Environments Affect Student Mental Wellbeing.” Major: Interior Design.
• Best in Final – Faiyaz Hussain, of Bangladesh, “Mississippi Aquarium Impact Analysis.” Major: Master of Science of Economic Development.
• People’s Choice – Ka’lon Duncanson, of Grand Bahama, “What Do Mississippi Gulf Coast Divers Value in their Diving Experience?” Major: Marketing.