R.V. Bennett Honors Program a ‘launching pad’ for curious and creative minds.
by Duane Bonifer
COLUMBIA, KY. (11/26/2025) The TV show Game of Thrones might seem an unlikely way to study adverse childhood experiences, but that was but one of the creative research projects presented on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at the 2025 fall symposium of the Lindsey Wilson University R.V. Bennett Honors Program.
Held in the university’s Holloway Building, 17 Lindsey Wilson honors students gave 18 presentations on academic work, research and experiences, turning two rooms of the Katie A. Murrell Library into an academic conference that’s been called a “launching pad” for Lindsey Wilson student scholars.
“I always expect them to do well, but every time they up their game,” said Lindsey Wilson history professor Elizabeth Tapscott, who is also R.V. Bennett Honors Program director. “The level of work that these students do is always a joy to watch.”
This fall’s symposium featured both a high level of quality and quantity of research by Lindsey Wilson undergraduates as the event required two rooms — the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room and the Keith Stearns Room — to accommodate the presentations.
Diverse topics and subjects
Students’ research covered a broad range of subjects: science, mathematics, women and society, the arts, politics, health care, psychology and a reflection of studying abroad.
Topics presented included diverse titles such as “Lady Gaga and a Marxist Feminist Interpretation of Sex Work in Western Society,” “The Role of Cultural Beauty Standards in the Development of Eating Disorders Among Young Women” and “Federalism and Pharmaceuticals: How the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 Affects the Pharmaceutical Industry.”
“Our goal is to have students take their work above and beyond, and I think this symposium is the perfect way for students to do that,” said psychology professor Jordan Greenburg, R.V. Bennett Honors Program assistant director. “They think critically, and they do not just take what their professors say at face value. They go beyond that and follow their own initiative.”
One of those students who went above and beyond was Briana Frey ’29 of Breeding.
A psychology and human services and counseling double major, Frey’s research explored the “Emotional Trauma and its Effects on the Limbic System,” a group of brain structures that regulate human behavior, emotions, memory and motivation.
“Our experiences deeply impact us, especially the physical nature of our brain,” said Frey, who plans to pursue a doctorate in psychology.
Frey said that she also learned in her research that “our brain matter can actually shrink when we go through something emotionally taxing.”
“So we need to keep a check on ourselves, and when you realize that you’re going through something, seek help,” said Frey, who said she has been studying the brain since she was 10 years old. “When that happens, the rest of us are going to try to give you a helping hand. That’s what we’re here for.”
Shooting a straighter arrow
Another freshman who pursued a personal interest in his research was Keegan Benton of Summerville, South Carolina. Benton, who is a member of the university’s archery program, studied “The impact of preignition bracing movements in precision sports and their countermeasures: The Quiet Eye method, open and closed loop control, and instructive self-talk during the duration of the key moment of execution.”
In layman’s terms, the psychophysiology major was interested in how to better shoot an arrow with a bow.
“Throughout the national and international circuit of archery, competing at a high level and trying to get better, it behooves one to immerse oneself in the culture, to immerse oneself in the scientific research and analytical studies to understand the topic better and to apply the lessons learned to become the best archer you possibly can,” said Benton. “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s a topic I really enjoy, so it has not felt like a lot of work to do.”
Katie Saylor ’26, a psychology and human services and counseling double major from Louisville, Kentucky, was another student who blended personal interests with scholarship.
Saylor’s presentation, “Winterfell Wounds and Resilience,” used the television series Game of Thrones to study adverse childhood experiences, specifically through the show’s character Sansa Stark. Saylor said her work also raised the question as to whether other characters from literature and popular culture can be used to help explain academic ideas and theories.
“I think it’s interesting that you can diagnose any character from a book or show,” said Saylor, who presented at her fifth symposium and the second time using Game of Thrones to illustrate an academic concept.
‘Amazing to see their growth’
Students in the R.V. Bennett Honors Program begin to work on research projects during their freshman year, and they are required to present at six campus symposia, which helps sharpen their research and presentation skills, Tapscott said. That prepares Lindsey Wilson honors students to shine at meetings of the 14-member Kentucky Honors Roundtable.
The program also helps students discover their passion and a possible career path. Saylor is a good example. When she entered Lindsey Wilson, graduate school was not part of Saylor’s career plans. Now, thanks to her work in the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, she plans to attend graduate school after Lindsey Wilson.
“It’s a joy to watch the transformations of the freshmen to seniors — to see them gradually gain confidence in their abilities and confidence in their own voice,” said Tapscott. “They realize that things they might never have imagined are actually not only within their grasp but something they wanted to do in the first place. This (program) is a launching pad for so many fantastic adults who are heading out into the world, taking the Lindsey Wilson name with them, and showing the world that we do great things here. We show them that good things come from small places.”
Lindsey Wilson University student Katie Saylor ’26, a psychology and human services and counseling double major from Louisville, Kentucky, presents her research, “Winterfell Wounds and Resilience,” at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Keith Stearns Room of the Holloway Building. Saylor used the character Sansa Stark from the TV show “Game of Thrones” to study adverse childhood experiences.
Lindsey Wilson University student Briana Frey ’29 — a psychology and human services and counseling double major from Breeding — responds to a question about her research project, “Emotional Trauma and its Effects on the Limbic System,” at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Keith Stearns Room of the Holloway Building. Looking on is Keegan Benton ’29, a psychophysiology major from Summerville, South Carolina.
Lindsey Wilson University student Keegan Benton ’29, a psychophysiology major from Summerville, South Carolina, discusses his research project, “The impact of preignition bracing movements in precision sports and their countermeasures: The Quiet Eye method, open and closed loop control, and instructive self-talk during the duration of the key moment of execution.” Benton presented his findings at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Keith Stearns Room of the Holloway Building. Looking on are adjudicators religion professor Jordan Wessling, left, and Kisha Burton, director of civic engagement, student leadership and the Bonner Scholar Program.
Lindsey Wilson University student Alannah Bowman ’27, a business administration major from Columbia, responds to a question about her research, “‘Our Weapon is Truth’: Ukraine’s United24 and Instagram Propaganda.” Bowman discussed her research at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room of the Holloway Building.
Lindsey Wilson University student Cadence Groce ’27, a criminal justice and women and gender studies double major from Somerset, Kentucky, discusses her research project, “Feminizing Justice: A Critique of the Patriarchal Criminal Justice System.” Groce presented her research at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room of the Holloway Building. Looking on is Henderson Wiggins ’28, a psychology major from Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Lindsey Wilson University student Henderson Wiggins ’28, a psychology major from Bowling Green, Kentucky, presents his research, “Health Care in Prison,” at the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program, held Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room of the Holloway Building.
Lindsey Wilson University students, faculty and staff gather Tuesday, Nov. 25, in the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room of the Holloway Building for a session of the 2025 fall symposium of the R.V. Bennett Honors Program.
Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university’s 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.
(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson University)