The winners of the 2026 Best of College Research Contest at Mount Wachusett Community College demonstrate the depth of inquiry, creativity, and academic excellence fostered across disciplines at MWCC. Organized by the LaChance Library, the annual contest recognizes outstanding student research projects that showcase strong information literacy skills, critical thinking, and effective use of scholarly sources.
This year’s contest received 42 submissions covering a wide range of topics, from advanced nursing degrees to ethical perspectives on life-sustaining treatment. Research and Instruction Librarians at MWCC individually evaluated each submission using a rubric centered on research practices and information literacy before collectively selecting the winners.
Taking first place and earning a $150 prize was Aisha Naluyima for “Beyond Grades: Unpacking the Complex Factors of College Success,” completed for College Writing I with Professor Jessica Kuskey. Naluyima’s paper suggests a full understanding of college student success requires seeing mental health, support systems, privilege, and time management as interdependent elements that call for an integrated, institution-wide response. Effectively weaving ideas from multiple scholarly sources into cohesive evidence substantiates such a complex view.
Second place and a $100 prize were awarded to Michelle Gelpi-Balthazar for “Psychological Research of Therapeutic Writing and the Divergent Healing Strategies of Mary Oliver and Sylvia Plath,” completed for Advanced Research and Writing with Professor Michelle Valois. This research paper looks at the lives and poetry of Mary Oliver and Sylvia Plath with a psychological lens of trauma, mental illness, and therapeutic writing. Interviews, lines of poetry, and research provide evidence to demonstrate how writing through pain soothed Oliver, but seared Plath.
Hayley Jensen earned third place and a $50 prize for “To: The State of Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities; RE: Increasing housing supply to fight the housing crisis in Massachusetts,” written for College Writing II with Professor Jessica Kuskey. Using business, economics, and law research, this policy statement confronts the lack of available and affordable housing in Massachusetts. Promoting new construction and supporting redevelopment of underutilized buildings are recommended to address this crisis; both support economic growth, strengthen communities, create jobs, and profit the construction industry.
A new category was introduced this year to recognize innovative forms of research presentation. Emily Nixon received the inaugural Best Non-Traditional Research award and a $100 prize for “Music and Sound Therapy,” completed for Critical Listening for Audio Engineers with Professor John Little. This video explores music and sound therapy as an enhancement for standard therapy and wellness practices. It is well researched and an engaging audio-visual experience. Because of this, a new Best of College Research Contest prize category for non-traditional research projects was created.
Congratulations to Aisha Naluyima, Michelle Gelpi-Balthazar, Hayley Jensen, and Emily Nixon on their outstanding achievements. Congratulations also to their instructors — Jessica Kuskey, Michelle Valois, and John Little — for supporting and encouraging exceptional student research at MWCC.
