Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Students Compete in 2018 ACC Meeting of the Minds Competition

Thursday, April 12, 2018, By Keith Kobland
Share
Research and CreativeStudents
Genesis Felizola stands in front of a screen showing her research

Genesis Felizola ’18 presents at the Meeting of the Minds competition at Boston College

A group of Syracuse University students, along with a faculty advisor, recently traveled to Massachusetts to take part in the 2018 ACC Meeting of the Minds competition held at Boston College. The conference highlights the research and creative work of undergraduates from the ACC’s 15 schools.

“The ACC Meeting of the Minds showcased six of our undergraduate students’ research,” says Provost Faculty Fellow Rochelle Ford, professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations in the Newhouse School. “They represented Syracuse well, demonstrating our broad range of disciplines and interdisciplinary focus, along with the important contributions in research and creative work they bring to their classrooms, labs, studios and fields of interest.”

Genesis Felizola ’18 from the College of Arts and Sciences and a 2017 Meredith Scholar, was among those chosen to present her research. She investigates the experiences of Hispanic families who have children with autism spectrum disorder, particularly with regard to physical activity and communication. We asked her four questions about the experience.

  • 01
    How were you selected?

    The Syracuse University ACC Meeting of the Minds committee selected me after I responded to a call for applications. I submitted my research abstract with an application, and my faculty mentor also submitted a recommendation. Along with five other SU undergraduate students,  I was selected to represent Syracuse University at this year’s ACC Meeting of the Minds at Boston College.

  • 02
    What did you do while at the event?

    While there, I presented my research and results on “The Experiences of Hispanic Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Regarding Physical Activity and Communication.” I also watched other brilliant scholars and some of the best minds from universities such as Florida State University, Duke University and University of Notre Dame present their undergraduate research. I networked with faculty members from different universities and informed them about all of the wonderful work we are doing here at SU. I spoke about the Communication Sciences and Disorders department and they were so impressed and pleased that SU has students working on this kind of research and looking into these issues.Faculty were excited to hear about my research findings. I felt proud to represent us. Go Orange!

  • 03
    Can you describe the experience?

    As a senior about to graduate from SU, I was starting to have a “quarter-life crisis” (thanks for the new terminology, Danielle Schaf!). I know, you might think I am too young to feel that way, but I was starting to doubt my abilities and myself as a scholar. There was a speaker at the conference who mentioned this, as if she knew this. She told us that the best minds in the world doubt themselves and their abilities, and that it was completely normal and that we were not alone. As I sat there, stunned at how much I could relate, I saw every head in that room nod in agreement and realized: I am not alone. These students have worked on their research for two or more years and are doing amazing things like finding ways to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy, and improving language apps such as Google Translate (which we all know, if we’ve tried it, is not the best). We are not alone, and we are changing the world by being brave enough to try things that scare us, seek out criticism, being okay with making mistakes and growing from them, and spending our free time in the weekend talking about and presenting research.

    I was proud of myself for presenting my research and being a representative for not just SU, but also as a Hispanic woman in science. After I presented my research, other students came up to me, and told me I was “engaging, passionate and inspiring,” and were impressed that I was conducting research that hasn’t been looked into in detail before. I was also proud of the other SU undergraduate researchers who were with me. We presented our findings with poise and eloquence, and cheered each other along. We made new friends while leaving a positive impression of Syracuse University behind.

  • 04
    Since we're talking about Meeting of the Minds, anything else on your mind regarding the competition?

    After leaving Boston College and coming back to SU, I was reminded yet again just how much I love SU. The atmosphere, academics and students here are unparalleled. My sense of pride as an Orange was bursting, and I felt thankful that I had the opportunity to attend this conference. I want to say thank you to SU and the ACC Meeting of the Minds committee for allowing me to pursue this path to scholarship and success along with the other five undergraduate researchers, who I now call my friends and fellow “Minds”.

  • Author

Keith Kobland

  • Recent
  • First-Year Law Student to First-Year Dean: Lau Combines Law and Business to Continue College of Law’s Upward Trajectory
    Thursday, June 26, 2025, By Robert Conrad
  • Student Innovations Shine at 2025 Invent@SU Presentations
    Thursday, June 26, 2025, By Alex Dunbar
  • Iran Escalation: Experts Available This Week
    Tuesday, June 24, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • SCOTUS Win for Combat Veterans Backed by Syracuse Law Clinic
    Monday, June 23, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • Syracuse Views Summer 2025
    Monday, June 23, 2025, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

Retiring University Professor and Decorated Public Servant Sean O’Keefe G’78 Reflects on a Legacy of Service

For most of his time as a public servant, Sean O’Keefe G’78 adhered to a few guiding principles: Step up when someone calls upon you to serve. Be open to anything. Challenge yourself. Those values helped O’Keefe navigate a career…

Jorge Morales ’26 Named a 2025 Beinecke Scholar

Jorge Morales ’26, a double major in history and anthropology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a minor in English and textual studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded the highly competitive…

Registration Open for Esports Campus Takeover Hosted by University and Gen.G

Syracuse University and global esports and gaming organization Gen.G have opened general registration at campustakeover.gg for its first Campus Takeover Sept. 20-21. The two-day conference will bring students and administrators to Syracuse to highlight career opportunities within the esports industry…

2 Whitman Students Earn Prestigious AWESOME Scholarship

For the first time in the 12-year history of the program, both nominees from the Whitman School of Management have been selected as recipients of the 2025 AWESOME Excellence in Education Scholarship, a prestigious honor awarded to top-performing undergraduate women…

Whitman’s Johan Wiklund Named a Top Scholar Globally for Business Research Publications

The Whitman School of Management’s Distinguished Professor Johan Wiklund was recently listed as one of the most prolific business and economic research scholars globally, according to “What We Know About the Science of Science in Business and Economics? Insights From…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.