MSU College of Education students recognized with 2026 Graduate Research Symposium awards
Contact: Bethany Shipp
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Three Mississippi State graduate students have received awards for innovative research showcased during the College of Education's 2026 Graduate Research Symposium.
More than 30 students presented their faculty-guided research during the annual event, with poster presentations formally judged by a panel of faculty.
"Each year, our graduate students demonstrate the strength, creativity and impact of research taking place across the college," said Daniel Gadke, College of Education associate dean of research and Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations head. "The Graduate Research Symposium gives us an important opportunity to highlight their work, celebrate their accomplishments and recognize the faculty mentorship that helps prepare them to contribute meaningfully to their fields and communities."
Winners include:
—Vikaas Manjunath, a doctoral student studying kinesiology, won first place for the poster presentation "Effect of Multicomponent Exercise Program on Health-Related Fitness, Functional Outcomes, and Arterial Stiffness Parameters in People with Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study."
—Malerie Partain, a doctoral student studying school psychology, won second place for the poster presentation "WCPM Gains Following BEA-Selected LPP Intervention."
—Timothy Okunoye, a doctoral student studying instructional systems and workforce development, won third place for the poster presentation "Examining Spatial and Spatial Computational Thinking Outcomes in a Technology-Mediated STEM Context: Effects of Race, Gender, and Instructional Format."
Projects represented the departments of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations; Kinesiology; Teacher Education and Leadership; and Technology, Leadership, and Design. Also involved were MSU's Mississippi Institute on Disabilities and MSU-Meridian's Division of Education. The event was hosted by the college during the university's spring Research Celebration.
MSU’s College of Education is home to five academic departments, a division of education, one research unit and numerous service units. Learn more at www.educ.msstate.edu.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.