Dr. Andrew Lee, left, with Dr. Ollie J. Lee at the Ollie J. Lee Symposium
The Lee University Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences held its sixth annual Ollie J. Lee Symposium. Anthropology, psychology, and sociology students presented their original research at the event, held to honor Dr. Ollie J. Lee, Distinguished Professor of Sociology.
“The symposium is a spectacular venue through which many dedicated students present their culmination of research to their peers,” said Jed Foster, an anthropology student. “I was immensely honored to share my own project with some of the most brilliant minds at Lee.”
More than 70 students presented oral or poster exhibitions at the symposium. There were 13 displays from anthropology students, 17 displays from psychology students, and 11 displays from sociology students.
"Our students are taking research to the next level, raising the bar, challenging past research, and producing more impactful studies that have real-world implications,” said Dr. Bryan Poole, assistant professor of psychology. “They should be proud of the work they have done. We, their faculty mentors, are immensely proud of them and cannot wait to see what they do next.”
Presentations included topics such as homelessness, pornography use, immigration, job satisfaction, eating behaviors, body dysmorphia, and religious points of view of God and women’s health.
“The symposium fosters an atmosphere that unravels the passions, questions, and research of students who deserve to be heard,” said Dylan Dixon, a sociology student.
For some students, this year marked their first time of presenting at the symposium.
“Coming into the Ollie J. Lee Symposium for the first time, I was very nervous, but once we started talking, the nerves faded and I started to get excited about sharing our research with others,” said Gabrielle Oechsle, a psychology student. “It was a lot of fun presenting as well as seeing others present. I look forward to going next year.”
Dr. Lee joined the Lee faculty in 1967 and has served in numerous roles, including vice president of Academic Affairs, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
According to Dr. Carolyn Dirksen, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Dr. Lee was influential during the period when Lee was beginning the transition from Bible college to liberal arts institution. He helped prepare for the accreditation review of Lee faculty. He also chaired the committee that wrote Lee University’s mission statement and formulated the institutional goals.
Since that time, Dr. Lee has been instrumental in helping further the academic and professional life of the university. He has served as chair for the General Education Core Task Force that redesigned core requirements and the committee that directed academic aspects of the transition from college to university.
“The quality and quantity of undergraduate research on display in this symposium is remarkable,” said Dr. Jeffrey Sargent, Chair of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Lee. “The symposium’s success is a result of my colleagues’ commitment to mentoring our students.”
For more information about the Lee University Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, contact Sargent at jsargent@leeuniversity.edu or 614-8125.