Junior Kristin Peachey presented her award-winning research paper at the Undergraduate Student Research Paper Competition at the Pennsylvania Sociological Society’s 62nd Annual Meeting on Oct. 12. The conference was held at Penn State University’s Schuylkill campus. Peachey won first place for her paper in which she analyzed gender differences in LinkedIn profiles, a social media website for professionals looking to network.
Peachey originally wrote her paper for one of Dr. Michelle Kozimor-King’s classes in the spring 2012 semester. Kozimor-King and Peachey worked together on finalizing the research,  “A Mediated Life: The Sociology of New, Digital and Social Media,” from the time that news of the conference arose until her presentation.
Peachey credits Kozimor-King for having a large role in her success at the conference. “She helped in every aspect, from helping me develop my topic and project title to assisting me with editing my paper,” Peachey said. “She spent a lot of extra time with me helping to make my paper live up to its full potential, and I am very thankful for her and her assistance.”
Peachey chose this topic because of her interest in career development and women’s roles in the workplace. “I have been working in the Career Services office on campus for over a year,” she said. “Over this time period, I have learned a lot about professional networking and job searching. Through working in the office, I have become more interested in career development and one day hope to work at a college helping students plan for and decide what they would like to do in the future.”
After presenting her work via PowerPoint to a panel of 20 people, Peachey was announced as this year’s conference winner. Her win came as a complete shock because she entered the competition without any expectations of winning. “The thought of winning had never even entered my mind,” Peachey said. “My goals for attending the conference were to gain more experience presenting my work, meet new people, gain new insights, and bond with Dr. Kozimor-King and the other students who attended the conference, senior Lindsey Cooper and alumni Barbara Prince and Michael Shields. I had no intentions of winning, so I was thoroughly surprised when I won.”
In preparation for the conference, Peachey rehearsed her presentation several times during the days leading up to the event. She also presented her research at the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Social Research Conference  in spring 2012, which gave her additional practice to perfect her demonstration while gaining the confidence to deliver her research with ease.
Peachey’s win marks the second year in a row in which an Etown student finished this conference in first place. She’s proud to have been able to continue Etown’s tradition of excellence.
While Peachey made a large impact at the conference, she was not the only student representing Etown. Senior Lindsey Cooper also presented her research project titled, “Do You Like Yourself?: The Effect of Socioeconomic Status and Gender on Self-esteem Scores.” Alumni and past winners Barbara Prince and Michael Shields accompanied them to offer support.
Unlike many students that graduate with a degree in sociology and anthropology, Peachey does not plan to immediately enroll in graduate school. “I would like to get some experience working before committing to more years of schooling,” she said. The vagueness of a degree in this field often worries students, but Peachey embraces the ambiguous nature of her major. “I could see myself working in a variety of positions as long as I am doing what I love, helping and encouraging others. Luckily, my major is very broad and gives me the ability to choose a variety of career paths,” Peachey said.
She also holds two minors in communications and human services, which she feels will add to her ability to find a fulfilling career path. “I would love to work in student affairs at a college, but I could also see myself working in human resources as a job recruiter or working for a social service agency or a non-profit organization,” Peachey stated. “I hope to use my success at the conference as a way to show employers that I have experience presenting my ideas well orally and in writing.”
One thing that this experience has instilled in Peachey is the importance of having positive relationships with professors. She feels that the lack of these relationships could handicap a student’s opportunities for success, in and out of academia. “None of this would have been possible without the help of Dr. Kozimor-King,” she stated. “Having her as a mentor has opened so many doors for me and has helped me to see my potential. I think too many students miss out on opportunities, like the one I had to attend the conference, because they are too afraid to connect with their professors outside of the classroom.”